Home is Where the Heart is
by Amora Journeys
Summary: How come she couldn't be satisfied with what she had?
1. Chapter 1: Leftovers

I do not own Twilight.

I've always wondered what would have happened if not only the Cullens and the Volturi did end up fighting at the end of BD, but if they lost as well, leaving Nessie and Jacob forced to run. This began as my one-shot intepretation of their lives because I cannot imagine that moving on will be easy or that night wouldn't leave its scars. Now I've decided to continue the story in the hopes of finding that elusive happy ending.

* * *

Home is Where the Heart Is

Chapter 1: Leftovers

Renesmee Carlie Cullen patiently waited for Mr. Richbourg's order, a regular to the local coffee shop continually losing business to a tyrannical Starbucks. Even though Mr. Richbourg was a loyal customer and came every day at this time, he was always slow to deliberate and finally decided to order the same thing he's ordered since the first day he stepped inside the small coffee shop.

Humans are intriguing.

He made a slight movement in his deliberation and his scent wafted gently towards her nose. She casually moved back a step. Years of practice and control have allowed her to seamlessly blend in with the human life she led. And yet, she never took any unnecessary chances.

"Green Tea, Ms. Wolfe." He finally grumbled.

"As always," Renesmee replied sweetly and turned to fetch his drink. Even though she exchanged few words with the elder gentlemen, she found herself wondering in which ways they lived their lives. She always amused herself with such thoughts whenever she passed anyone interesting on the street - imagined complicated stories of drama and love. In her mind everyone from the homeless addict she passed on her way home to this elder man had a story she gave them. It was her way of involving herself in a world she could never be a part of.

She could never allow herself to grow too close. She never stayed in one area for too long and didn't think she could handle relinquishing well-made friendships. It already hurt her all too much to sever just the simple social bonds formed with a wave of hello.

Renesmee gently placed the tea in front of the frail man. Mortality makes the wrinkles and arthritis beautiful. Mr. Richbourg took the mug with indifference but she knew the way he reached out for the cup showed how grateful he was. With a satisfied smile she turned to retire her apron, the descending darkness slowly beginning to creep into the small coffee shop through the windows.

"Night Vanessa!" one of her co-workers called as Renesmee walked toward the door, "Tell your brother I said hi!"

"Of course," Nessie replied half-heartedly, not even bothering to return the farewell. They only knew Jacob as her older brother who often came around, not as she knew him, the center of her world.

* * *

She opened the door to the silent apartment only to be greeted by darkness. Nessie Cullen was never a selfish person but sometimes she wished that things had turned out differently, that maybe just maybe there could be a family waiting for her after a long day of work. She immediately wiped such notions from her mind, lest her heart begin to ache and weep once more. She felt ashamed and guilty for the fact that she wanted more. She had lost so much to never take anything for granted and always tried to be satisfied with the life she had. She knew she should be happy but sometimes – the darkness was just too much to bear.

She sighed as she finally flipped the switch upwards and light immediately illuminated the small place she presently called home. She's only resided within this place for three months, but it didn't matter. For her, home is where the heart is.

Dropping her purse on the couch she immediately began dinner. She decided on lasagna and began to pull out all of the necessary ingredients. She opened the fridge and reached for the cheese and her hand cringed when she brushed past the plate of leftovers. She brushed the tears away as she left Jacob's uneaten food in the fridge.

Then, her heart began to quicken and thud against her chest. Nessie turned just as the door slammed closed, shaking the entire apartment complex.

"You're home early," Nessie stated simply, just an observation – never with an intention behind it.

Jacob grumbled angrily as he dropped onto the couch, trying desperately to ignore the accusing tone of her voice that only he seemed to perceive. The silence of the house deadened as the television came to life, only to become white noise to the sudden tension in the air.

The images of the television merely flickered before his eyes as his thoughts became lost, like they've become habit to do. He replayed the images of the day over and over in his mind. Once again, he had failed her. The shame and the weight of the countless numbers of his failures were too heavy even for him.

"You got fired again," Nessie said knowingly. He only grunted in reply. She stared at him with sad eyes, her Jacob. After years of running and dodging the Volturi, Jacob had developed a constant paranoia. Many times his tenseness and anxiousness got him in trouble at work. She just hoped he hadn't sent anyone to the hospital this time.

Jacob turned to sneak a peek at her while she was cooking, but was met with her sad brown eyes. He instantly turned away in shame. He couldn't bear looking at her anymore, especially with the scar that he had caused flaunting all of his insecurities, it trailed raggedly from her cheek all the way to her chest.

He never looked at her anymore, didn't give her that reassuring smile to let her know everything would be okay. She could bear it then, when he could still smile. But he didn't anymore. It had been her fault really. She should not have let the sight of the little girl playing with her family get to her to the point she came home crying and in disarray. She would have been in her right senses when she came behind Jacob unawares.

She smelled too much like vampires, too much like those he has been fighting her entire life.

He phased.

She hardly cared about the damn scar, it was the pain that seemed to be throttling her heart that hurt the most.

Jacob was her everything, quite literally. He had tried to be parent, sibling, and best friend to her, but that was more roles that any being could handle. He broke under the pressure of it all and definitely was not the best person to raise a child, more or less a young half-vampire, but he still tried. Luckily, Nessie was intelligent enough to raise herself.

Somehow they grew more distant, until the gap indulged two strangers.

Nessie finished the lasagna and placed separate portions of it at the table. She sat down hoped he would find the initiative to come to her, he never did. With a sigh she said, "Dinner is going to get cold, Jacob."

She smiled when after a few minutes Jacob came to the table, he hardly had an appetite any more. She looked up and watched him shuffle the food around on his plate. She wondered if Jacob would have been happier if things were different, but somehow Nessie had this nagging feeling that all they would ever need was each other. Then how come there was this huge gulf between them? How come she couldn't be satisfied with what she had?

She finished her plate first and got up to wash the dishes. After she was done, she calmly pulled the prescription drugs from the cabinet and placed them in front of Jacob's plate. In the next instant, Jacob's hand had smacked the medicine from the table where it flew and embedded itself into the apartment wall.

"I don't need any damn pills." Jacob said angrily, beginning to tremble. He wasn't insane and he wasn't fucking depressed.

Nessie calmly pulled the anti-depressants from the wall. Over the years he had gotten worse, falling even deeper in that darkness it seemed she could never pull him out of. At one point she had begged him to see a doctor. He relented after a while, doing it more for her than himself.

Jacob remembered that night clearly, the night the Volturi came and his allies lost. He could never forget the feeling of running away while leaving those he loved fighting behind him. His legs were heavy as he ran and witnessed the death of his pack members within his own head. He could feel every thought and emotion that swelled him like a faltering tsunami as they died, and he couldn't help but feel how he had failed them. That's what had hurt the most – the sharp and abrupt pain in your mind when a pack member died. One by one the pain continued until he was running and there was only silence – the silence had been the worst pain of all.

She only wanted to help him. He's been through so much. He would come home bloodied and beaten without a word, but in his determined eyes she knew he had destroyed the vampire hunter that had stumbled upon them. In the first few years, the Volturi sent countless of vampires after them but soon the number trickled down to an elite few. Jacob was protecting her all by himself, always in a heightened sense of awareness, never able to afford a moment of relaxation.

She sat the pills on the counter and hoped Jacob would notice them. It had been a false hope to believe human medicine to heal him. He needed something more, but she didn't know what. She wanted to help him, had to help him before he became too engulfed in the darkness she couldn't reach him anymore. She was so lonely.

Maybe the pills didn't work and she began to ponder other possibilities. He burned off alcohol too quickly for it to be any effective as a de-stressor for him. She didn't know if she wanted to dabble into actual drugs. What if he became addicted? It was too much of a risk but if she was desperate enough…

Sometimes she wondered if she needed pills.

Her hands formed into fists as she turned away from him and stared at the empty kitchen sink. The Volturi had taken everything away from her, but she refused to allow them to take away the only thing she had left – Jacob. She had to fight for him. She had to do… something.

"I'm going out for patrol," Jacob gruffly replied, sometimes it was easier to be away from the tears she hid from him. Fighting vampires seemed to be the only thing he could do right. He would keep her safe, for that was all he knew how to do.

He got up from the table. She wanted to cry out not to leave her, that she needed him, that she didn't want to be alone anymore.

She trembled, knowing it was too late…

He left.

…they had already taken him away from her.

She cried as she wrapped his plate of leftover lasagna.


	2. Chapter 2: Lone Wolf

I do not own Twilight

Chapter 2: Lone Wolf

The darkness of the night and cool earth beneath his paws had become like a home to Jacob. Patrolling was not work, but instead had become his downtime from all of the frivolous human tasks he no longer felt akin to. Who cares whether or not he was too busy searching for a suspicious scent than oiling a car? Who cares if he accidently punches a co-worker in the face because the way this dude pops his gum reminds Jacob of the sound when a vamp licks his fangs? His boss did evidently.

He wasn't a mechanic. Instead somewhere in his long career of protecting, his profession became clear, he was a vampire hunter.

If only that job earned money, at least it didn't force him to slump home and disappoint Nessie time after time. Instead, it allowed him to do what he was good at – protecting her. Even if that meant becoming lost into the mind of a ruthless killer, into the mind of a predatory wolf hell-bent on the chase once he caught wind of the scent. With years of practice he could dispatch vampires without even phasing, he could become a wolf without warning within mere seconds. But every time he delved deeper into bloodlust, it became that more a part of him. It was this honed instinct to kill vampires that had caused the scar running raggedly across Nessie's body. But there was nothing he could do now, it was a part of him. He was dangerous and at times as he escaped to the solidarity of the patrol, he wondered if he was simply protecting Nessie from himself. The lessening frequency of vampire trackers paralleled to an increase in his habitual patrol became all the more evidence in revealing her true enemy – Jacob Black.

Suddenly a sweet scent caught his attention and the man named Jacob Black was no more. He became the hunter, four legs pounding forward with the speed to challenge even the fastest of vamps. Obstacles smashed against him as he pounded through them, utterly crushing them. The scent grew closer and his keen hearing now caught sound of fleeting footsteps. Charging forward with well-muscled limbs, the distance between him and his foe drew closer.

The large feral shapeshifter burst into a wide clearing, an opposing vampire standing before the light of the moon. The vamp was recognized immediately.

The images that flashed through Jacob's mind were like a festering wound:

"_I could take him," I thought easily as I circled the vampire they called Demetri. Even though I could feel a sharp pain whenever I leaned on my left paw from a previous fight, I knew I could win. He was hurt too, with only one arm remaining. I was good enough to take this dude. _

_I made a quick mental check in my mind of my pack members, but they were all preoccupied in their fighting. Tensing to lunge, I attacked. He evaded and began a wild game of hooking and baiting each other for ground. I snapped testily, trying to catch him off guard even though just minutes into the fight I knew he was more experienced in combat than I. He countered to my left. I quickly dodged the bloodsucking fangs and crashed into him. I snapped at his head but he was too quick and wrestled me off. I was pushed backwards and the pain in my left paw suddenly turned to knives. The bone cracked and sundered. When I tried to get up, I was too slow. I looked up with apprehension and the vampire was already diving for me. _

"_Quil!" I heard my name shouted constantly through my head as I fought for every ounce of life. Jacob's voice ran through my head coaching me to survive, frantically wishing he was here with me. I could feel Embry's anger as he raced to my rescue, Leah's fire as she tore the head of her opponent, Seth's confusion, and the deep heavy despair of Jacob as the pain grew like wildfire._

_But soon all their voices faded and I heard laughter, the sweet childish laughter of my little girl Claire. I saw her button noise and her bright smile as she ran around in a pink princess tutu, waving her magic plastic wand and casting the power to grant one wish._

_I wish in another life I'll get the chance to love you. _

_Her light made the end bearable, the darkness couldn't touch me here. _

Jacob took only a moment to recognize Demetri before vowing with a blinding rage to avenge the death of his pack member. Years of experience warned him from attacking too rashly, and allowed for him to recognize this uncanny circumstance. The Volturi finally sent their best tracker to find him, and considering the sheer amount of vamps he has killed, the vamp can't be alone. Sending out their best tracker on a proven suicidal mission would be dumb even to their standards. Jacob sniffed the air and indeed smelled two disgustingly sweet scents elsewhere in the forest.

Demetri dusted himself off and replied quite tactfully "I find it surprising how incredibly hard it is to track you considering how extremely revolting you smell."

Jacob's muzzle curled back in a snarl. He could surely handle this one before the others arrived.

The gigantic wolf attacked without thought or hesitation, a grand growl escaping from his very being. He feigned right but went left.

Demetri had heard the stories of how quick the dog was supposed to be. He hadn't believed them, until now.

Jacob's canines tore through Demetri's arm and ripped it cleanly. He landed on thunderous paws, spitting the limb out and quickly turning to continue the attack. Demetri retreated to the opposite side of the field and Jacob quickly followed, recognizing that the foe was stalling. Jacob charged like a wild bull to catch him, Demetri on the run and a constant defensive. Suddenly he was right where Jacob wanted him to be. Jacob lunged, Demetri evaded to the right but Jacob pounced against the sturdy tree directly behind his foe and changed his course. Demetri was trapped among a flurry of claws and rage.

Nothing could extinguish the burning fire within the feral creature, causing him to resemble something perhaps darker than the very foes he hunted.

"Jacob."

That voice froze every fiber in Jacob Black's body, froze his soul. In disbelief, the hunter turned from the creature he had been previously dismembering and stared at a face that he thought could only haunt him in his sleep.

Edward Cullen.

'It can't be,' Jacob thought frantically as he stepped back, passing the vampire that was slowly trying to put himself together again. 'It had to be a trick.'

'It's not a trick,' Edward said sullenly as he combed his hair back with his fingers. His golden eyes seemed tortured as he stared at Jacob, with an emotion of pity and seeking forgiveness.

Jacob had been so focused on what he had been so certain to be erased from existence, that he didn't notice the other vampire standing beside the nightmarish apparition.

"Jacob Black," a voice said matter-of-factly, "you've given us a lot of trouble over the years."

Finally, Jacob turned quickly to the other vampire in Edward's company. An instant snarl ripped through the air at Aro's smug smile.

"We're not hear for a fight," Aro casually held his arms behind his back in a business-like fashion. "I'm quite fascinated with you actually."

But Jacob didn't understand. It was too much to take in at once. He was about to attack them, for everything was easier and simpler when he was ripping them apart.

"Master Aro, it might be easier if I explain some things?" Edward suggested.

"He must be rather slow. Go ahead my dear Edward." Aro casually agreed and found a nice recently uprooted tree to sit upon as he watched the proceedings from afar.

When Edward tried to approach Jacob, the menacing growled warned him to step no further. They stood wide distances away, practically communicating across the field.

'Why the fuck are you still alive?' Jacob had practically screamed in his head. He saw through Seth's eyes when Felix and Santiago ripped Edward apart.

Even Edward winced at the image. "They tore me apart, but they did not burn me. I was put back together just to serve Aro. With Chelsea's powers I was forced into the Volturi against my will. Even though my ties to Aro cannot be broken doesn't mean I've been brainwashed. I've thought about you and Renesmee all the time, but they'd know if I came looking, the bond keeps me from betraying him."

'Is… is… Bella-'

"She's alive, in service with me."

Jacob whined in frustration. He didn't know what to believe. This could be a trick, some damn vamp mind power trick they had currently over him. But he wanted to believe that the scent he smelled was true, wanted to believe this was really Edward Cullen standing before him.

"I know this is a lot to handle," Edward agreed slowly as he gave the volatile canine some space.

'I don't understand, then why are you here? Why now?'

Edward combed his fingers through his hair nervously, as if trying to find the right words to use. "Aro wants to come to an agreement with you, and I've been brought along as the middle man."

Jacob did not like the sound of this.

"You won't," Edward paused and then said calmly with a tone of softness in his voice. "Aro wants to collect you."

A fierce growl thundered through the clearing, the waves of sound traveling with Jacob's pride and an absolute no.

Edward waited patiently until Jacob stopped pacing around. "Aro recently succeeded in breeding half-vampires of his own within the Volturi and is no longer interested in Renesmee. Now, under the present circumstances, he wants you."

'Hell no.'

"Eight years ago, the Romanians betrayed us." Edward explained, understanding Jacob had access to many eyes on the battlefield but still limited to just a narrow view of events. "They abandoned us during the fighting and watched each side's numbers dwindle. Recently, there have been reports that the Romanians are going to mount a full-fledged attack against the Volturi. Aro can no longer waste his resources hunting you down but has decided it will be his best interest to employ you in his services."

'Like a damn watch dog.'

"That's exactly what will happen." Edward said sadly, 'But in return he promised Renesmee will be safe in Italy. She can go to college, she'll be free and," he paused, "I'll get to see my daughter again."

It was a cruel agonizing thing to ask of Jacob Black.

'And what if I refuse?'

"You'll be hunted for the rest of your lives, and he'll send us to do it. Both Bella and I."

Jacob whined in despair.

"You have a day to decide," Edward's haunting voice followed Jacob as he shot into the forest. Running madly just to run. Hoping the pumping of his blood will wipe away all the choices he was going to have to make. Jacob Black ran, four paws through the cool earth, with a heart wounded with battle scars.

* * *

Jacob Black entered the apartment loudly, slamming the door behind him. He was sweaty and disoriented after finally coming to the decision that they would run. He would take Nessie with him now and leave this place, leave the damn country if he had too. His pride was too great to allow him to become some vampire's pet.

"Jacob what's wrong?" Her voice calmed him as she peeked from the bedroom. Renesmee always got little sleep when Jacob was out on patrol. She couldn't fall asleep comfortably until she knew Jacob had made it home to her safely. But something was wrong with tonight, he usually wasn't this loud, usually wasn't this frantic as he paced around their small apartment. "Are you hurt again?" She asked in a shaken voice.

"We need to talk," Jacob began but couldn't continue.

Renesmee was worried. She shuffled into the room and sat down at the kitchen table, waiting patiently through the silence.

Jacob couldn't bear the silence, he needed to tell her… something. He turned with enough gathered courage to tell her that they were moving again. Then he was struck by her large chocolate brown eyes, he saw the loneliness, he saw the unhappiness. The scar along her face reminded him of all the times he had failed. The rims of her eyes were red, betraying she had been crying once again. She shouldn't be crying.

He wanted to make her happy. She deserved to be happy.

"We're moving to Italy."

* * *

**Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed the story thus far and feel free to review.**


	3. Chapter 3: Two Days

I do not own Twilight

Chapter 3: Two Days

Vanessa Wolfe… Renesmee Cullen never thought her life could change so drastically in mere moments. It was as if her entire world had done a somersault on her. Of course both Jacob and Renesmee knew that there had been a small chance for her parents' survival but it had always been too dangerous of a venture to confirm. The moment Jacob had explained that her parents were alive and wanted her to live in Italy it was as if her heart had stopped for a moment. She was too surprised to say anything, but Jacob understood that meant a yes.

When Jacob left to relay her answer, Renesmee quickly went to the bedroom to pack her things. Her excitement overcame all the doubts she had, trying desperately to forget that they were dealing with the Volturi, the very organization that had been hunting her all of her life. It could be a trap, but Jacob believed he really did see her father, and no matter how much street smart she had accumulated over these past years of running it could not sway her from her decision. She would walk straight into a trap if it meant meeting her parents.

Her hands slowed as she looked over her favorite pair of pants and gingerly placed them in the bag. The excitement was wearing off and the fear was creeping in. What if she wasn't the baby girl that they remembered and held? For after all these years she surely couldn't be.

The door opened. Renesmee peeked from the bedroom as Jacob grumpily walked into the apartment and sat two pieces of paper on the kitchen table. Without pause, he climbed over the back of the couch and collapsed into sleep. She walked away from the two backpacks already stuffed with both her and Jacob's possessions.

Gingerly, she picked up the slips of gold paper – they were tickets, for the boarding of a private plane set to leave in two days. Two days?

Renesmee couldn't help but wonder if those extra days had been for her benefit, time to say goodbyes and to tie up loose ends. Such good intentions but there was no one to say goodbye to, no ends that had been loosen. She liked to believe it was thoughtfulness on their part, but in a way it seemed cruel.

Cruel in the way that she was so accustomed to disappearing in the middle of the night, grabbing two backpacks in the manner of traveling light, and jumping atop Jacob to ride to absolutely nowhere – any place they could live in relative peace until the next group of vampire trackers stumbled upon them.

What could she possibly need two days for?

"Was… was fa-" but as Renesmee began to say the word aloud it seemed bitter and resentful. Finally she settled for, "Was Edward there?"

"No," Jacob grumbled as he adjusted himself on the couch. "Only Demetri."

Renesmee didn't miss the searing hatred as Jacob said the name. Then she remembered something she couldn't believe she had possibly overlooked. She felt ashamed that she had, and blamed her excitement as the cause. "Jacob, do you want to go?"

He didn't answer her, but his silence was enough to tell her the truth.

Renesmee placed the tickets carefully back on the table. She wanted to say, 'You don't have to protect me Jacob. I'm a big girl now, I can do this by myself.' But she didn't. She held her tongue. For the truth of the matter was, she couldn't do this by herself.

Instead, she shakily settled for, "You don't have to protect me Jacob."

But that was the only thing Jacob was good at. He snapped up from the couch angrily, "Then what the hell else do you want me to do? I'm doing my fucking best here. What more do you want of me?"

That perhaps had been the most words Jacob had spoken to her in a long time, which only revealed how twisted this situation was really affecting him.

"Well," Renesmee gathered her courage but stepped back just in case, "soon you won't have to protect me anymore. I'll be with my parents and-"

Jacob growled, shaking, and stated with clenched teeth, "I am going to protect you."

He's done so much for her, devoted his lifetime in protecting her. Now that things would be changing, Renesmee couldn't bear to keep Jacob tied to her like so. "It's okay Jacob. If- if it's the imprint thing then-" She gasped as she fell backwards onto the kitchen counter as a giant wolf erupted in the middle of the apartment.

The couch and the kitchen table were practically in shreds as the large wolf quickly sprang backwards from Nessie as if she was the plague. He crashed over the television and whined in the farthest corner he could reach.

"I'm not hurt," Nessie assured him, even though she was checking herself over.

The large russet wolf slowly faded away to revealed Jacob cradled in the corner. "You're right," he said slowly. "I can't protect you."

With swift speed, he pulled himself from the corner and ran away, practically storming from the apartment completely nude. Renesmee didn't even have a chance to call out for him, wasn't even given the chance to prevent him from leaving.

Jacob needed to run.

Renesmee collapsed in the middle of the wreckage, and she held herself, and cried. She desperately hoped it symbolized the ending to a chapter in her life, and not the precursor to a beginning.

Before her feet were those damn tickets - and those two damn days.

* * *

Renesmee didn't come out of the apartment, too afraid that if she even stepped a foot from the door she'll miss him when he finally came back. Instead, she kept herself busy with cleaning up the mess, cleaning up not with the speed of a half-vampire but with a speed even slower than that of a human. She needed something to preoccupy her mind, something to help her ignore the thoughts that maybe Jacob wasn't coming back.

She called her boss and quit her job. Placed the backpacks before the door. Then sat, simply sat in a lonely dark apartment for two days.

Then suddenly two days wasn't enough, she needed more time. Renesmee paced around the apartment like Jacob was habited to do. The plane was supposed to take off at 10:00 am. It was 9:30.

9:50

10:00

10:05

10:15

Renesmee suddenly froze in place, considering the notion that maybe Jacob was already at the airport. He was waiting for her.

Her heart thudded loudly as she grabbed both tickets and both backpacks and she sped from the door. If he wasn't at the apartment, he had to be at the airport. She wouldn't let herself believe otherwise. She jumped an entire flight of stairs, uncaring whether humans saw her or not.

After two entire days spent coped up in the apartment she was a little startled when the sun hit her eyes. She adjusted quickly and walked briskly down the sidewalk. The bus stop was only at the corner. Not too far away. She would make it. He was waiting for her.

Then suddenly a low growl froze her in place. She swiveled toward the sound and found herself facing the alleyway and there, where the sunlight couldn't touch wear two large glowing eyes.

"Jacob," Renesmee whispered in relief and tears as she ran into the darkness and collided into his fur. She didn't care whether or not she was kneeling in alleyway trash and dirt. It didn't matter as Jacob nudged his muzzle along her neck. She sighed in relief, she made it on time.

She combed through his fur and with her gift sent waves of relief to wash against him. He whined and then nudged the backpack she carried. She understood immediately and shuffled through the items and gave him his favorite shirt and pants.

He took them in his mouth and quickly padded behind the dumpster.

Jacob Black emerged looking scraggy and unwashed, his hands in his pockets and a look of shame. "I'm sorry," He whispered.

Renesmee shook her head, unable to believe he was to blame. They stared at each other.

Jacob at the little baby he had clumsily raised. Renesmee at the man who had taught her about life.

They refused to acknowledge the awkwardness that suddenly came between them, things were always simpler when he was other than human. Both of them walked from the alleyway at a distance from each other, toward an airplane they no longer cared were there. People spotting them in the street would not have guessed they were headed the same direction.

He walked behind her, as if he was the bodyguard. Feet shuffling against the ground. Wind whipped through un-kept hair. The silence as if they were avoiding one another. They were always so far away.

Like a coincidence of two strangers, they both stopped at the same bus stop.

"I thought you had left," Renesmee finally said to fill the void.

A worn dated newspaper flitted by. Somewhere on the opposite end of the block a dog was barking. The screams of a Spanish couple fighting in their apartment above.

"I'll never abandon you," He grumbled, staring at the dusty path of the sidewalk.

Renesmee couldn't believe she had doubted.

Two days she had spent in that lonely dark apartment. Two days he had spent in that dirty shadowed alleyway.

Waiting for each other.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed and feel free to review.**


	4. Chapter 4: Scar

I do not own Twilight

Chapter 4: Scar

Renesmee Cullen never felt giddier to such a point of tween-excitement or such a gripping fear in all her life. She had no idea how she managed to contain the two emotions as she flew over the North Atlantic Ocean. She couldn't keep herself occupied as she finished reading and memorizing an Italian dictionary in the first few hours. Now, she was admiring the glittering blue ocean below her with such appreciation as if it was an epic work of art.

When Renesmee and Jacob had reached the airport they weren't expecting the plane to still be there, but it was. All glossed and spotless, the Volturi symbol crested upon it.

"Jacob, do you think they'll like me?" Renesmee asked dubiously, shifting in her seat to get a better view from the window.

"You'll be fine" Jacob grumbled bitterly, his tone made her turn toward him, who sat in the chair across the aisle from her. He looked almost sickly as he gripped the arm-rests of the chair. Renesmee believed the sudden illness was due to the fact Jacob had never flown before.

Then, Jacob quickly left his seat and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door shut and locking it behind him. He immediately vomited into the toilet. His fear was certainly due to the fact he had never been in the air before, but it was much more.

Jacob Black was undeniably scared shitless.

How was he supposed to survive being surrounded by the sickening and revolting smell of leeches... and not attempting to kill them? And most importantly how would he survive facing her parents again? Would they take her away from him? Would she drop him like a stupid old toy in exchange for a new one? He needed to come to terms that this might the end between him and Nessie.

She won't want him anymore.

But he had to find a way to deal with this, he could see how excited Nessie was, and he didn't want to fail her. Not again.

Jacob pulled himself together, splashed some water on his face, and sought to find the courage to face his greatest challenge. He didn't find enough of it, but it'll do to keep him in the seat of the plane.

He returned to his seat where Nessie stared at him in concern, as if she could smell the toils of his stomach. Jacob tried to relax, tried to breathe, but it was impossible and unsettling.

"Would you like something to drink, Ms. Cullen?" The flight attendant asked, thankfully human. The entire crew was of flesh and blood but all seemed quite aware for who they worked for. Dumb stupid humans, like Bella, didn't know what was good for her.

Jacob noticed Nessie's heart begin to speed and he turned quickly. He growled the moment he saw the bottle the attendant was offering, not of wine but from the smell, human blood.

"She doesn't drink that shit," Jacob growled threateningly, causing the attendant to jump and give him an annoying look.

"No," Nessie breathed in relief, startled by the fact it was offered to her. "I'm a vegetarian."

"Master said you would be," The Flight attendant replied cheerily and placed the bottle back onto her cart and grabbed another. "Would you prefer this instead?"

Jacob looked over at it suspiciously.

"The blood of a black panther from the amazons," She said sweetly as if it was a delicacy, "Or a polar bear from the ice caps? We have a variety for you to choose."

"Oh," Renesmee wasn't sure what to do. She peered at Jacob sheepishly as he stared stubbornly out of the window. "I'll pass, thank you," She said finally.

"You haven't eaten in a few days, you should," Jacob grumbled from his seat, quite too low for the human to even hear. He should have made sure she was well-fed, should have got her a burger or something, but knew no matter how much human food she ate beforehand she would still be affected by the smell of human blood. No matter how much he tried to deny that fact.

No matter how much she tried to deny that fact. It scared her how intensely that bottle of blood had tempted her. But it was wrong, no matter how much her nature called her to it, drinking that blood was wrong. If for no other reason than she was raised to believe so. She didn't want to be a monster - those things Jacob hated so much.

Sheepishly, Renesmee requested the panther just to appease him.

"It'll be right up, let me warm it for you," The flight attendant smiled and Renesmee had to wonder how such a human could possibly be so comfortable with serving blood. She couldn't explain it, but Renesmee liked her quirkiness immediately.

The attendant came back and poured the blood for her expertly. Renesmee hated to admit, but the blood was quite tasteful and had such a refined quality about it. When she turned to leave Renesmee quickly called after her, "Do you think you can get Jacob something to eat too?"

"I apologize, but this plane isn't equipped for his kind," she replied before sauntering off.

Renesmee suddenly didn't like her anymore. In a way, it was akin to a slap in the face, a realization how things for Jacob wouldn't be quite so easy.

"Let it go, Nessie." Jacob said lazily, trying to fall asleep but too wired to. He knew all along this wasn't going to be easy, but most of his life hadn't quite been a walk in a park. Not the poor shape-shifting red boy from the reservation living myths and tall tales, protecting a half-vampire, half of his sworn enemy. No, it has not been just a walk in the park. In fact, it's been very damn hard, and Jacob was used to hard.

Then the plane landed, and Jacob wasn't so sure anymore.

"That's them, isn't it?" Nessie asked excitedly as she stared out of the plane window.

Jacob didn't bother to look as he grabbed their backpacks and led them off the plane.

It was cloudy and overcast in Florence Italy that day. The air was crisp, anticipating, expecting.

The group of vampires Renesmee had previously spotted driving at full speed towards the plane was suddenly waiting for her anxiously at the ramp.

Their eyes met.

One gold and the other chocolate, with all the defining features the other contained. The mother and the daughter.

Renesmee hadn't been aware of her feet, nor anything else for that matter, but somehow she was swept in a cold embrace. Even though it should have been expected, the chill still surprised her. The wrapping arms were cold like stone, without a pulse, without a heart. But this was her mother.

Jacob Black took a step backwards and hid in the shadow of the plane, unable to watch the show of affection. He couldn't help but to notice the difference between them. The leeches all wore suits and were expensively dressed. Jacob had a stain and two holes on his favorite t-shirt, one of just two he owned.

Even though Edward and Bella had given Jacob sufficient funds to protect their daughter, Jacob was too used to being poor and was too accustomed to living without. What others perceived as necessities seems like frivolous wants to him. What others would perceived as questionable neighborhoods seemed alright to him. Nessie never said a word of objection.

Jacob had pride, and had not used Edward's money with the exception of emergencies. For Jacob, he had seen nothing wrong with how they lived. But now, he knew that the rough and dirtied pants Nessie wore were not good enough. Her faded well-adored barely recognizable shade of red t-shirt was not good enough. Not compared to them.

He was not good enough.

And while Jacob lamented his existence, Nessie rejoiced in hers – her mother finally at her fingertips.

"My dear Renesmee," Bella wept, finally united with the daughter she loved so dearly. The years were meant to be seconds for vampires, but Bella has felt she's suffered an eternity. Things have never been the same, in much more ways than one. She released her and looked her 'Renesmee Carlie Cullen' over, like a mother fitted to do.

Renesmee was so much taller than she remembered, a young woman now. The age where many found independence from their parents but for Edward and Bella, now was better than never. Her curls were the golden bronze of her father's, settling in natural ringlets over her shoulder. Her face was heart-shaped. Perfect. Beautiful. Except for the scar.

"What happened?" Bella's singsong voice asked with maternal worry.

Renesmee suddenly felt imperfect and self-conscious as she touched the scar upon her face. The image of the incident flashed in her head.

"Jacob phased," Edward, her father plucked from her head as if he had the right to do so. The acid in his voice was clear; he wasn't all too pleased with the condition of her appearance either.

"Jacob Black!"

Renesmee always imagined her mother as sweet and protective and loving, the same person Renesmee actually remembered just without the flaws. She had forgotten her mother had been plagued with clumsiness instead of angelically graceful. She had forgotten the heated woman her mother became when she had attacked Jacob before over a nickname. Forgotten all of the stuff that makes you human and had wistfully turned her into an idol. She had completely forgotten, but now she suddenly remembered as her mother turned into a monster.

Bella cornered the man who had been hiding behind her little girl, "You were supposed to protect her! How could you!" Bella was angry. She trusted Jacob. Gave him the most important task in the world. How could he do this to her baby girl?

Jacob literally whimpered like an ashamed little puppy as he backed up shakily whispering, "Bella," in warning.

"Don't get too close," Edward caught Bella by the shoulder to restrain her. But without thought, she shrugged him off and continued on her tirade without a sense of self-preservation.

"-I sent her with you because I trusted you! How could you let this happen-"

Jacob had nowhere to go as he backed up against the wheel of the plane. Bella, a full vampire got too close.

Jacob phased.

Edward had already grabbed Bella out of the way, and instinct took over the vampires as they backed up and crouched in defense with a snarl. Jacob had phased way too fast for them to feel safe.

Jacob growled angrily, forcing them all away from him. He didn't want them close to him. Not when he was this angry, this willing to rip some vampires apart.

Even though Edward knew Jacob couldn't help himself, Jacob still had almost attacked Bella. Her honor needed to be defended. He tensed in preparation of a fight.

"Stop!" Renesmee Carlie Cullen stood between them both. "You have no right to talk to Jacob like that!" She defended, "He's always protected me. He's always puts my needs before his own. This scar is nothing compared to what he's been through," She said viciously, the vampire in her coming out all too instinctively in her anger. But she couldn't help herself. She was the one who's had to watch Jacob limp home after a bloody fight, watch him reset his bones whether they were right or wrong, and to wash the blood from his clothes. She's watched him through his depression and his anger, trying alone to cope with those he had lost while giving her a smile to help her cope with hers. What was one scratch compared to that?

"If you can't treat him with respect then we're going back home," wherever home was, but it didn't matter because somehow she and Jacob will make it work.

Edward and Bella stared wordlessly at their little girl as they ascended from their crouch. Bella felt awful, ashamed that she had yelled at her best friend for doing the best he could given the situation. She had never been one for appearances anyways, and no matter how scarred Nessie was, she was still beautiful. Edward also felt ashamed, especially after witnessing all of the scenes that had sped through her daughters' head. She's had a rough life, but Jacob was there, he was there when Edward couldn't be.

The two parents, Edward and Bella realized something in that moment-

For Nessie, that scar along her face was a part of her –

Jacob would never fade away.

* * *

**Authors Note: Hope you enjoyed and feel free to review**


	5. Chapter 5: Pieces

I do not own Twilight

Chapter 5: Pieces

"I'm sorry," Bella said gently as she stood before the man she still considered as her best friend. An apology was all she could give; any greater words can never express the amount of gratitude she believed she owed him. It was a lot to ask of someone to take care of a half-vampire child. Jacob had went above and beyond the call of friendship, whether the duty be to Bella or Nessie, Bella acknowledged his strength and loyalty.

Jacob couldn't remove the tenseness instinctive to his body whenever vamp-scent was around, but Jacob could feel Bella's sincerity. It washed over him like a warmth he hadn't known in a long time, like a sense of approval. For years, the only heat he's known was that of his own skin. For Jacob, the world was cold.

Nessie watched the exchange with such a smile on her face. Bella's apology had perhaps done more for Nessie than it did for Jacob. Nessie now saw her mother without the wistful lenses of a child she had worn at first sight. Her mother was flawed and even though vampire, had the heart of a human. Bella's humanity reached out to the part Nessie was able to identify. Nessie was undeniably more human than vampire; it was in the way she was raised.

Interrupting the awkward reunion, a small petite vampire skipped up, one whom Nessie remembered perfectly thanks to her vampiric memory. Nessie didn't know whether to call her Aunt Alice or simply Alice as the woman that even Nessie had outgrown wrapped her in a spritely hug.

Her golden eyes glittered as she stepped back with a smile. "I'm so glad you're back Nessie, and what is that atrocious thing you are wearing?" Alice eyed Nessie's favorite T-shirt as if it was infected with fleas.

"I like what I'm wearing," Nessie said, but somehow the pixie-like creature was talking over her with a voice so loud it made you wonder how all of it fit could inside of that miniscule being.

"Don't worry, I'll break you of that horrible Bella-fashion sense immediately. You'll find there are wonderful clothes in Italy, if not we'll simply fly somewhere else," she said as if it was as simple as catching a cab.

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Master will be expecting us shortly," Nessie turned to the man with frayed blonde hair and a southern accent hidden in English. Jasper, she recognized. Jasper only acknowledged her with a smile and the tip of his head, but that was all, something simple for such a man.

"Master can pull a fang out," Bella said under her breath, receiving warning glances from the rest of the family. Even though they had been influenced to follow him didn't mean Bella couldn't practice her freedom of speech. The fact that Bella's shield kept "Master" from reading her mind had made her bold indeed.

"Jasper is correct, we should be going" Edward reluctantly agreed. He wanted more time with the mind of his daughter and couldn't help delving into it whether she was aware or not. His favorite memory he's found so far was a time with Jacob and Nessie simply riding in a car driving down a desolate highway. She looked to be the age of four. Jacob set the station to hip hop, Nessie complained and redialed until she found something she liked – Mozart, Symphony No. 40. The young little girl smile as she sat back and remembered delicate white fingers playing across a keyboard.

Edward had glimpse the scene as Bella fondly grabbed a willing Nessie by the hand and led her to him. It was Edward's favorite memory yet and he was obsessively delving for more, his right as father eliminated her need for privacy. He wanted to know everything he had missed.

But he didn't know how to say that in words as he stared at his daughter, now a grown woman with a strong will of her own unmolded by his hand. The eyes were Bella's, the hair was his. But in so many more ways she was Jacobs. She stood in a slouching manner like he was ought to do, knew how to take care of herself if the need arises, happy with comfort and that which she had instead of things she could want. Edward didn't know where he fit within her psyche, could hardly find himself in her memories.

It was Nessie who initiated it. She felt him nervous and had learned that vampires weren't perfect creatures, as example of her mother. She ran into the man's arms that were her Father. She could feel the strength and solidity he wanted to provide. Although she hardly knew him, her appreciation for life, a lesson Jacob had taught her, made her willing to accept Edward.

In Edward's arms, Nessie felt like a child – like his little girl.

Now they could truly leave.

They released each other, Bella watching with a smile. But Nessie couldn't help the feeling that there were a few pieces missing, still a few pieces to complete the perfect reunion.

"Where is-" Nessie began, but couldn't finish, remembering other members of the family that should be here.

"We'll talk in the car, Renesmee." Edward said simply. But the truth was, he needed time to prepare an answer.

Nessie's inquiry had brought a heavy silence among them but Alice was quick to swat it away. "I brought pants," She said altering the course of the conversation to one of complete randomness.

"For Jacob," she pushed as she sped to the car and back, to a human eye it would have seemed she hadn't moved at all. She held out the clothes and Nessie took them from her.

"Thank you, but I thought you couldn't see him," Nessie asked confused.

"I write myself a note when we get back," Alice smiled, "I didn't understand why I needed to bring them until now."

But when Nessie tried to give them to Jacob he defiantly shook his head. For Jacob, something could happen and he wanted to be prepared. Just in case.

"She'll be safe." Edward assured him.

But Edward had read Jacob's mind wrong. Jacob knew Nessie would be safe, but for his own peace of mind he needed to be phased. Just in case.

"Please Jacob, it will only be rude not to take them," Nessie asked, in the soft she often use when dealing with his stubbornness.

Jacob growled and angrily snapped them out of her hands. He went into the plane hangar and quickly phased. His skin was sensitive to the night air even if he couldn't feel how cold it truly was. He pulled the pants on, which fit him perfectly. He forgot what it was like to have the future seer vampire back again.

He walked out from the hangar and found them already piled in the car waiting for him, except for Edward who stood beside a Ducati Desmosedici RR motorcycle, and Jacob instantly recognized it as the fastest legal motorcycle in the world. It was a beauty and a beast.

"We brought you this," Edward combed his fingers through his hair, "to control the stench."

Even if it was simply used as an air freshener, for the first time in a long time Jacob felt somewhat like a little boy again. In his excitement his natural awareness of vampires weakened and he ran up to Edward without a single thought of wanting to rip his throat out. It was progress. Jacob sat atop the motorcycle and felt the engine roar with strength underneath him.

The vamps were always known for excessive style as Alice and Jasper rode away first in a bright yellow porshe, the words "Turbo" fading into the distance.

Edward, Bella, and Nessie climbed into Edward's familiar silver Volvo. Aro did not have fond of an obsession with cars that other vampires did, but he understood that, and loved to give out his share of gifts as due a respectable Master. For good behavior, the Cullen family got their cars back.

Jacob sped atop the motorcycle and swerved alongside the car as he listened in on the conversation occurring inside. Even though the wind stormed passed him, he could still hear their voices perfectly, as long as the windows were down.

"Renesmee," Edward began, not knowing what tone to take with her, but this conversation had to start somewhere.

"I'm not a child anymore," She said because she knew he had something hard to say, but her tone came across sharper than she meant to.

Bella placed her hand in Edward's and they seemed to gain strength from one another.

"The battle back at Forks, all of us didn't make it." Edward said carefully reading the reactions in her head. Vampires were resistant to change, and such a drastic interruption into Cullen lives, have and will leave them still aching for years to come. Bella leaned her head away, sometimes she blamed herself for it.

"So Emmett and- and-" Nessie said shakily but she couldn't continue. She hardly knew them, and yet she felt a longing in her heart, the grief of missed opportunities and unknown love.

"Emmett, Rosalie, and Esme didn't make it," Edward said softly. "Carlisle couldn't go on anymore after Esme died. He refused to lose any more of us and surrendered. Those alive with gifts the Volturi could use were taken, the others destroyed."

Jacob all too well already knew the story. He saw it unfold. Seth had survived until the end, survived until Carlisle surrendered and begged the Volturi to allow the remaining shapeshifters to run free. However, the Volturi saw no need and Jacob's brethren were the first to be destroyed. Jacob had seen Seth hunted down, had felt the acceptance and loyalty to the end.

"Many were lost," Edward whispered, perhaps more for Jacob than Nessie.

"And Carlisle?" Nessie asked, his name unmentioned in the deceased.

"The Volturi suffered as many losses as we did. They lost Marcus, and Carlisle has now replaced him. It was a position he took willingly to protect the family he had left."

'War is never a pretty thing,' Nessie thought.

Edward read her thought with a twinge in his eyes, knowing full well only another one was looming ahead. Aro had been desperate when he recruited Jacob but after all, as it is most times in war, the enemy of your enemy is your friend.

The conversation only angered Jacob, reminding him of memories he did not want to remember, reminding him that he was fraternizing with the enemy. Soon he would meet with the vamps that had killed his pack and didn't know how he'll restrain himself. Not sure he even wanted to, he wanted to kill, like a mindless animal just kill. Sometimes he scared himself, but sometimes it was necessary.

In his heart, he felt like a traitor – to his pack, and to himself.

Jacob Black's heart began to pound, the only enduring rhythm among the dead. He sped the motorcycle forward, deciding to see how fast the damn thing will go.

"He'll hurt himself," Bella murmured as Jacob completely disappeared into the night.

Nessie shook her head and knew all too well, "Let him run."

The only thing left to them of that fateful night had been pieces.

* * *

**Author's note: For all of those Rosalie, Emmet, and Esme fanatics out there I am truly sorry - but I am trying to take a realistic perspective on the events if there truly was a fight in Breaking Dawn. In every battle, there are casualties. I hope you enjoyed the story and feel free to review. **

**Since college is in full swing now, I'll probably be posting only once a week. But something to look forward to: Will Jacob restrain himself in Volterra? What other vampires survived the Battle of Forks?**


	6. Chapter 6: Distances

I do not own Twilight

Chapter 6: Distances

Renesmee Cullen was surrounded by art as she rode the outskirts of the Volterra countryside. A breathtaking landscape captured by the soft brush of lightly scattered clouds, vineyards a subtle splash of color, and majestic strokes of greenery glistened with life. No wonder the artists of renaissance Italy became so prominent if this was the sort of setting they were born into. It was magical, the type of place where fairytale creatures were alive. Nessie could easily see herself making a home here.

Edward smiled slightly, one hand on the steering wheel and the other cradled in his beloved. He hoped she was right, he hoped they could be a family again.

Nessie thought she saw a glimmer of light in the corner of her eye and suddenly, like a scene out of Batman, the road slanted downwards and the trail of cars disappeared into the darkness below.

Jacob swiveled abruptly to pause at the large gaping ramp leading towards the unknown. He hesitated and knew there would be no turning back. Nessie seemed happy with her parents. But it was not enough, her safety depended on him and it was this thought that gave him the determination to descend.

It was as if the whole of earth had swallowed and digested them into a hub of modernity and technology. The metal walls were sleek as they continued downward, passing multiple cameras and security systems. A large silver titanium door at the end of the tunnel ascended as the cars drew nearer. The underground road finally gave way to an enormous domed area.

Nessie had never seen so many vehicles in all of her life. The Volturi garage was extravagant and gaudy, filled with transportation reminiscent of every era past. There was both a sense of timelessness and innovation. Next to an Egyptian chariot sat the latest Maserati edition. In the corner was an Italian wind-driven automobile beside a model of Lamborghini not even on the market yet. It all seemed like a ludicrous themed museum.

Jacob stopped cold and even twitched as he gazed upon all of the treasures, like a little boy on Christmas morn. Nessie's happiness aside, he could now die happy.

The vampires didn't even turn to admire the wealth about them, accustomed to its presence every day. They walked briskly toward the exit, formally and with a purpose. They were at the door and turned suddenly to realize Jacob had stayed behind.

"Jacob!" Nessie called insistently. "Later."

Jacob numbly nodded his head and followed, feeling a pain as the door to the garage closed behind him. The vamps would never give him the chance to play with their toys. Then Jacob felt disgusted with himself for even entertaining the thought.

The door slammed shut and the reality of it all hit Jacob just as hard as the sickly scent of vampire congesting the area. He almost choked on it, almost fucking phased – was close to phasing as he stood shaking. Every trained bone in his body was chanting the need to kill. He looked up and his vision went red and he tried desperately to control the animal that had gone untamed for so long.

After a few moments of heavy breathing he could see clearly again, maybe with a little help from the stupid emotion manipulating vamp, but when he looked up to see Edward shielding his family from him, shielding Nessie from him. She looked up startled. Nessie was unaware of the type of monster Jacob really was.

"Jake?" Nessie pushed back her father's arm and it yielded only because Edward knew it was necessary. There was a reason to be concerned for Jacob's well-being, and Edward didn't need Alice's gift of foresight to know this situation wasn't going to help Jacob recover. If anything could help him at this point. Jacob had demons that concerned Edward, but admittedly the Volturi had even darker ones.

Nessie stepped forward and suddenly stopped, realizing she hadn't physically touched Jacob since she was a child. There had always been a distance between them, a gulf of fear and rejection. Nessie felt a small push against her back and turned to the golden eyes of her mother. Bella urged her forward. Edward wanted to keep her back but did not interfere. Emboldened by the direction of the woman who knew Jacob best, Renesmee Cullen finally stepped forward to enclose the distance that had separated them for years.

Jacob had been frozen against the wall, seemingly paralyzed and stunned, desperately trying to keep his current form. His concentration was completely focused on keeping his shreds of humanity intact. That was until he felt small arms wrap around his hips. The contact shot a fire through him, a sudden flame too bright and burning to ignore.

Renesmee felt Jacob's body collapse inwards and she held his weight. He wrapped his arms around her in turn and she was encompassed with a sudden force of feelings she's never had before. Her life suddenly brightened and her past seemed dark in comparison. A sudden epiphany hit Renesmee Cullen. She finally realized what she wanted and perhaps what she's needed to fill that aching hole, of resolving that dissatisfaction with her life. She needed Jacob, needed a physical and intimate relationship, needed to love him.

Jacob breathed into her hair, filled his lungs with her scent. She felt so warm against him; so right. The feel of her against his body gave him the strength to continue. He could do this for her.

Renesmee pulled away from the hug reluctantly, "You don't have to do this."

What she didn't know was that Jacob did have to do this. He immediately felt guilty for not telling her the whole truth. He stepped away completely and literally sped down the hall, willing to face a flock of vampires if it kept him from facing her. He knew he was running, but truthfully, that's all he knew how to do.

Renesmee stared after his retreating figure with a look of shock and rejection. The sudden parting made her feel weak and almost helpless. Didn't he understand how much she needed him? Her mother was at her side in an instant as the other vampires quickly followed after the wandering shapeshifter.

"You and Jacob are-" Bella began, leaving the question hanging.

"Complicated," Nessie breathed in a shaky voice. How can you possibly describe the relationship between Renesmee Cullen and Jacob Black?

As a woman, and have experienced her share of romantic turmoil Bella recognized the awkwardness between the two ever since they stepped off of the plane. It was as if they were so close to each other and yet so far away. Bella extended her shoulder for comfort.

Nessie denied it, unready to confide in the stranger she was still unable to call mother aloud. Nessie was nothing if not a strong person. She could comfort herself. Wrapping her arms around her, she briskly walked down the tastefully lit hallway.

Edward led the group quickly through the maze that comprised the Volturi's lair. He pushed past groups of talkative vampires who were suddenly complaining about the smell, many turned in their direction with looks of either respect or envy for the Cullen clan. The new recruits always saw the highest officers, especially the Cullens treated with greater privilege than they. Others turned at the sound of two very distinct pair of heartbeats, one hard and heavy, the other soft and pulsing, but beating at the same time. One smelled somewhat appeasing but the other made them all lose their appetite. It smelled utterly disgusting.

If Renesmee wasn't so nervous she could have appreciated the ancient and styled architecture that loomed around her. She could have seen how quaint and rooted in time the underground city of Volterra really was. It was a pinnacle of history and art, a modern wonder the world would never know.

The double grand doors to the elder's chamber opened.

The large audience within the dome room turned to the new arrivals, all white pale faces, a glimmer of a reflective gold skin tone scattering here or there. The curiosity they first exhibited was quickly marred with an expression of distaste when the smell hit them. Many wondered what strange devices Aro had up his sleeve this time, for this could only be his doing.

Edward went before the Elders first, kneeling on one leg. Aro, Caius, and Carlisle sat in their respective chairs and judged their brethren accordingly.

"Master Aro, I have brought before you Renesmee Cullen and Jacob Black."

Hushed whispers swarmed the crowd that continued to swell in size as more poured in to see what was going on. Many were new recruits who questioned the sanity of bringing a dog into the Volturi house. Those who were more experienced, who had witnessed the sort of devastation the shape shifters could wreck at the Battle of Forks, were more reserved in their judgment when it came to the name of Jacob Black. They knew many of their brethren had fallen to his hand, knew that vampires who were sent to track him began to dread the task for none ever came back alive.

"How delightful," Aro smiled in welcomed as he left his perched and extended his hand expectantly. In an instant, he saw not only Edwards thoughts but of all those around him. He found many interesting things indeed. Edward had truly become one of Aro's favorite toys following Jane's destruction.

"I am very pleased you have agreed to serve the Volturi, Black." Aro's words froze everyone in the room.

"Aro, we do not have the luxury to entertain anymore of your pets," Cauis said disgustedly as he stared down at the mutt.

"What?" Renesmee couldn't help but to breathe as her eyes bore into Jacob's back for answers, but he wouldn't turn to face her. Jacob had evidently forgotten to mention serving the Volturi.

Her small question caught Aro's attention and he smiled a warm welcome towards her and with a flick of his wrist, summoned her forward. She knew she had no choice. She passed Jacob rather begrudgingly and then her father to stand before the Elder. She remembered the confrontation in the meadow, only afterwards for her mother to order Jacob to whisk her away.

"Carlisle, your granddaughter has grown into a rather beautiful young woman," Aro smiled taking her hand and kissing her lightly upon the top of it.

Carlisle smiled truly, "Yes, she has become a beautiful and bright young lady." For a vampire frozen in time, it seemed that Carlisle had aged a few years, marred by the tragedies of sorrows and unexpected responsibilities.

"I would very much like you to meet my son," Aro turned to a boy in the crowd. It was then that Renesmee became aware of another heartbeat aside from her and Jacob. She turned to stare at a young boy who appeared to be around the age of fourteen, deep eyes full of a haunting knowledge years beyond him. He was of flesh, pulsing with blood and heartbeat. The young boy was handsome, a small greek god, and resembled a young and saner version of Aro.

"Took me fourteen women, but I do say he is my masterpiece."

Jacob cringed – fourteen human women?

Caius scoffed. He saw no point in half-vampires. They were weak. They were useless.

The boy fluidly came to bow before her and kissed her hand much like his father did. "Cerinthus, " he introduced himself.

"Renesmee," she replied in kind, surprised to see another just like her.

"I'm sure you two will get along wonderfully," Aro clapped his hands together and released Renesmee to rejoin her family. He was quickly brought back toward business.

Aro addressed Jacob directly, the few in the room who would even acknowledge his presence. "The Volturi greatly appreciate your cooperation Black, and we shall hopefully put all resentment behind us. The past no longer matters. It cannot deter us from the future of prosperity we will no doubt-"

It happened in mere moments.

The wrong words were spoken and honestly, no matter how much Aro can get into the shape shifter's head through Edward, there were words that will always be wrong.

Because for Jacob Black the past did matter.

And in the midst of a crowd of vampires, Jacob Black phased.

He was filled with such a storming heat of rage, a pressure of vindictiveness building like that of a volcano since he got here. And finally, he exploded. The moment his paws touched the floor they were racing forward, his muzzle drawn back in a snarl. Jacob was going to destroy them all.

Guards leapt in the way but all succumbed to the rip of claws and teeth as Jacob charged through. He was quick, fast, well-trained in the art of vampire killing. Nothing, not even venom, was going to stop him. Or at least so he thought.

He stopped at the sound of her scream.

Jacob had been mere inches from ending Aro's life, who was actually crouched in a defensive position, protecting the son he had thrown behind him.

"There's no need for violence," Aro smiled in a curling manner as he straightened himself, stilling Demetri who handled Renesmee roughly in his hands. Edward and Bella felt ashamed, powerless to protect her. At any indication from Master, Demetri wouldn't hesitate to harm her. To Aro, it was a good thing that they establish the consequences now. He didn't have to say aloud that Renesmee would surely always be watched to ensure Black's cooperation.

Aro was completely immune to the violence that lay before him, scattering of vampires on the ground trying desperately to piece their aimless limbs back together. It wasn't lost on others though. Even Caius sat up in his chair, fully interested in one of Aro's experiments this time around. Finally, something that could be useful. Caius smiled, cold and calculating as he thought of ways to utilize their new acquired weapon.

Many thought Aro was completely insane, but Aro knew it took the boundaries of insanity to embrace innovation for positive change. After all, Aro obsessively loved to collect uniqueness. He absolutely embraced the idea of a pet and was eager to domesticate him.

Jacob Black could do nothing but back off. Nessie's protection depended on him.

"Good boy, you learn so quickly" Aro said quite genuinely.

Stunned by the violence that had suddenly erupted before her, Nessie had been limp in her captor's arms. But those words woke her up. She suddenly remembered the night in the meadow as Aro spoke of his desire for guard dogs. In an instant, her sharp mind was able to realize what was going on around her.

"Jasper, as you know there is a meeting at noon. The rest of the Cullens, you are dismissed. I am truly happy for you Edward, you finally got your daughter back. In these times family is important. I hope you won't lose her again," which would have sounded mockingly coming from anyone but Aro. He meant everyone word.

They bowed respectfully and quickly retreated to leave. Edward snarled as Demetri finally released his daughter. The two men stared at each other defiantly, before Bella prompted Edward along.

"Wait," Nessie whispered dryly. "Jake- Jacob's not coming with us?"

"No baby," Bella said gently. "You're not a part of Volturi's affairs. There's a house prepared for you in the city."

Nessie quickly processed those words to mean: We're separating you.

Vampires felt a sort of distance from human emotions but when Renesmee wailed in sudden grief and agony, her entire body crumpling to the floor – they felt it.

"Jacob!" Nessie screamed angrily as she fought against her Father who was trying to grab her. You damn fool! You don't have to do this for me!" Jacob was selling his soul for her. Nessie couldn't allow that and as she screamed and yelled, cried and begged, the large wolf wouldn't turn to meet her eye. Irrationally she tried to force her way to him, wanted to force him to look at her and convince him this was wrong. "You don't have to do this."

Edward flinched from the demanding thoughts Jacob was sending to him. Jacob wanted Nessie to leave. He didn't want her to witness the level he's been reduced to. He knew he was doing the right thing to protect her. Nessie didn't have to run anymore, she could be with her parents, she could be free. He had to believe that this was right; separating them would be a good thing.

He hoped.

But it shriveled the remaining pieces of his heart to watch her fight for him. She scratch, bite, punch; anything to get free and run to him. Edward finally got a good hold of her and forcefully dragged her from the chambers. Jacob could still hear her sobs echoing down the hallway. He whimpered in response. He knew the pain.

Aro clapped his hands together, utterly unfazed by the breakdown of the young woman, as if it happened all the time. He addressed the large wolf at the middle of his chamber, completely gleeful at the possibilities.

"Let me be the first to welcome a shape-shifter to the service of the Volturi."

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoy and feef free to review. **

**Something to look forward to next week: How will Jacob and Nessie cope being separated? **


	7. Chapter 7: Separation

I do not own Twilight

Chapter 7: Separation

"Cerinthus, be a good boy and show Black his new lodgings," Aro said as he returned to his grandiose chair, "and please remind him that we of the Volturi hold a high standard for hygiene, and that regular bathing will be in his best interest."

The small boy bowed in dismissal.

Jacob actually prided himself for his "stench," hopefully it'll keep all these bloodsuckers away from him. He reluctantly followed the boy out but growled at any vampire who dared to look at him as he passed. The moment they exited the large Chamber of the Elders, the half-vampire boy visibly relaxed and suddenly began to speak in a flurry of excited Italian.

The boy paused and looked at him expectantly, staring upwards at Jacob's large wolf form. Then his eyes widened, the realization dawning on him. "You don't speak Italian do you?"

It's not like Jacob could reply in this form if he wanted too, and he certainly didn't want to. As far as he was concerned, this half-vamp was just as monstrous as the one who produced him.

"Is it true that you defeated Alec? I heard he was supposed to be one of Volturi's best. That was so amazing back there! You transformed in the blink of an eye. I mean, I've always wanted a dog. Father got me one before but I ended up breaking it. I tried my utmost hardest to take care of it, but I'll improve with you. I promise. And I don't think you stink that badly. Actually you smell fairly appetizing, but I'm venomous, and I've promised to take better care of you-" He went on nonstop as they navigated the Voluturi's underground city.

They deviated from a main hallway which abruptly ended. Jacob stopped and looked suspiciously at a large flap in the wall, very reminiscent of a doggie door.

"Isn't it great? It was father's idea," Cerinthus skipped through, which began to lead upwards. Cerinthus pressed a button which slid open the final metal door, cascading moonlight into the tunnels. They emerged above ground, the sounds of forest animals whistling softly through the night.

"There's a button-" Cerinthus searched the underbrush for it and showed Jacob how it opened and closed the metal enclosing, carefully hidden by leaves and earth, that led back toward the Volturi's lair. "All you have to do is step on it, you won't even have to phase."

Then Cerinthus introduced Jacob to his "dog house," by vampire standards, but for Jacob it was a modest secluded wooden cabin in the middle of the Italian forest. It seemed lonely.

"There are clothes in your room," Cerinthus said he plopped down on the couch and turned the television to the Italian news. Jacob grumbled angrily as he phased back to get through the door. "You should probably take a shower, father will be here after his meetings to check on you and give you your assignments."

Jacob hated his, hated it all. The damn kid treated him as if he were a pet. He ran the shower water on hot and couldn't help but to bang his head against the wall angrily. It hurt for a moment, until it healed. Not even his own body would punish him. Jacob expected such sort of treatment, but it didn't make it any less hard, didn't make it any less demeaning.

They gave him a damn doggie door.

At least he didn't have to live underground with them. In a way, the sounds of the forest calmed him. It helped him to keep his head level as he stepped from the shower, wet. It irked him as he held no doubt expensive materials in his hand and they fit perfectly around him – as if they knew, as if they had always been expecting him.

Then the sudden thought occurred to him – had they been expecting him? Had his life on the run been all an experiment, a test to hone him into a weapon they could use? Jacob slammed his hand on the sink in frustration. Paranoia and doubt settling into place, he was angry with himself, and angry with his life.

He wanted Nessie back. At least her presence justified why he was still living.

Finally, Jacob dragged himself out of the bathroom and the boy turned to him with bright inquisitive eyes.

"I wonder," he began. "If the Cullen Clan is vegetarian and they eat animals, how come they've never eaten you?"

Jacob sighed deeply as he collapsed on the couch and swung his head upwards in exhaustion, ignoring the little pest beside him.

"You're not very talkative are you?" Cerinthus asked disappointed. "Are you hungry? There are lots of wildlife to hunt around here or," he sat up excited, "I hear humans from America live off of burgers. I don't know what that is but I can acquire on for you. What does it taste like? Carlisle constantly tries to get me to eat human food to maintain a well-rounded diet but it's disgusting. I do like-"

"Where did they take Nessie?" Jacob asked, a pain shooting through him as he said her name.

"Probably one of the houses the Cullens own," Cerinthus shrugged, "If you're loyal, I'm sure Father will allow visitation. Maybe I cou-"

That was all Jacob cared to hear as he picked himself up.

"Wait, where are you going?" The halfling looked baffled as Jacob retreated into the bedroom and slammed the door behind him.

Cerinthus pouted as he felt suddenly alone, the incessant chatter of the television unable to keep him company. He could tend to his studies that his mother will eventually force him to do. He could practice his talents until he was exhausted like his father often demanded he do. But Cerinthus didn't want to do any of those things.

The cabin was lonely indeed.

Jacob collapsed onto the bed exhausted. Even though he promised himself to the Volturi didn't mean he was going to like it. Jacob was determined to hate this with every fiber of his body.

* * *

Edward and Bella stared at each wordlessly as they wondered how they should handle the distress of their daughter. The moment they had entered the house Renesmee had stormed into the bedroom and locked the door. The parents could have easily entered with force but they thought it best to give her privacy, or at least the best privacy they could give with a mind-reading father.

Edward frowned as he saw the visions flashing through Alice's head. His daughter's paths were vague but there were the general tone of ambivalence and aloofness. The other paths were simply dark, unknown, they were the ones were Jacob were involved. Edward didn't know if he could trust in what Alice could not see.

Then there were Renesmee's feelings crying out loudly, grinding into Edward's head as she was unable to put the pain she felt into comprehensible thoughts. It hurt Edward and maybe for the first time he began to entertain the thought that this all wasn't such a good idea. He had been selfish in wanting her here. He felt like a monster, a vampire in the horrific sense that humans perceived him to be.

Edward's self-hating thoughts were interrupted as Bella placed his hand over hers.

"This was right," She pressed. She didn't possess any trick of mind-reading but she always just _knew_. "It was about time we got our family back together. Now stop blaming yourself because she's going to need us."

Edward nodded hesitantly as Bella suggested giving their daughter some space. The Cullens left the magnificent Italian condo they had bought just for Nessie.

Nessie knew when they had left, and had first thought that all she wanted to do was to be alone. But as the silence settled in and loneliness gripped her, she began to panic. She wanted – no _needed _Jacob. Nessie felt her heart beating in a panic and her breath came short. Her limbs trembled. She couldn't handle this.

Suddenly there were cold arms around her that pushed her comfortably into their embrace, the arms of a mother. Nessie could not control herself as she poured tears into her mother's shoulder. She finally whimpered and whinnied herself to sleep, vaguely reassured by the soft sound of a lullaby she remembered from years past.

For the first time in eight years, Edward and Bella tucked their daughter into bed.

"Don't worry Renesmee, we'll figure something out." Bella whispered gently, and the two vampiric parents stood guard over their child at night, not afraid of any intruders or other things that were known to go bump in the night, but were there instead to protect their little one from her own nightmares and dreams.

Renesmee woke up exhausted, but quickly rushed out of her bed at the smell of something burning. Had Jacob forgotten to take the noodles off the stove again or forgotten that foiled wrapped pop-tarts did not go in the microwave?

Renesmee froze as she rushed toward the smell, the sight of marble skin greeting her instead of a warm russet one.

"Good morning honey," Bella said frantically as she fanned the deep smoke from the stove. "I haven't done this in such a long time." She said exasperated.

Edward leaned against the entrance door with a deep smile, watching his wife with intent affection. "I told you."

Renesmee Cullen suddenly felt very saddened. No matter how humorous it was to wake up to a vampire burning breakfast her spirits could not be lifted. She turned back toward the bedroom.

"You should get dress, you can go to school today if you want to. The University of Florence has a beautiful campus." Bella suggested as she threw out the burnt food.

Renesmee froze, "I am not a child," she snapped bitterly and the door slammed shut behind her.

"She'll come around," Bella said positively.

Edward could hear her thoughts and he wasn't so sure.

They wanted to stay but she needed time to heal no matter how much they wanted to smother her. Even more, their dilemma was supplemented by Volturi duties they had to attend upon the hour.

The next time Nessie woke she found a bag of pastries on the kitchen table calling to her growling stomach. But despite how hungry she was she couldn't eat it. Instead she went to the kitchen and made her own breakfast. She worked methodically, and her mind barely on the actions of her limbs.

Then she stopped as she realized she was cooking Jacob's favorite: scrambled eggs and bacon. The bacon sizzled in the pan as Nessie fell to her knees and cried.

So much crying.

She couldn't live like this.

She stared blindly at the clean ornate kitchen counters in front of her. The bacon burned. The eggs blackened. The indistinguishable food soon gave way to a fire. And Renesmee Cullen didn't care as the flames approached her half-vampiric skin.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry for the long overdue update. College takes over your life but I'm determined to finish this.**

**On another note, I'm a big history buff and do not name my OC's for any random reason. For some, this might be interesting to you who knows. While I was searching up the origin of names Aro's mate Sulpicia is Greek (Aro I have no idea) but there was an actual greek female poet named Sulpicia. In one of her most famous love poems she addresses her lover Cerinthus, and that's where that name came from. What's interesting is this same Sulpicia had an uncle called Marcus, even though Marcus was a really common name back then in Greek society it creates a nice little coincidence whether Meyer meant it or not. And upon further research, Didyme, Aro's sister, her name is greek for twin. So they very well could have been twins. What a messed up family if Aro not only killed his sister but his twin as well. So yes, that's that. **


	8. Chapter 8: Resolve

I do not own Twilight.

Chapter 8: Resolve

Thankfully, Alice saw it coming.

Her gift of foresight wasn't entirely perfect when it came to her niece but Nessie was still half-vampire. The most important things that will impact Nessie's life Alice could see perfectly, it were the little twists and turns that continually eluded her.

"What's the diagnosis?" Edward asked fearfully as Carlisle left the bedroom. His answer immediately flickered through Carlisle's thoughts long before he answered: The burns will heal but Renesmee had entered a state of depression, too dependent on Jacob's presence.

Carlisle responded out loud to Edward's question to favor the non-mindreading vampires in the room. He could feel the sinking mood. For a vampire, Carlisle seemed to have aged. The lost of his beloved drawing wrinkles on his face harder than time ever could, but for the last fragments of his family, he persevered.

Carlisle had been one of the main advocators begging Aro for Nessie's return to them, although Carlisle had offered no plans for Jacob. Carlisle wished he had been gifted with the hindsight to have thought of Jacob as well, anything other than Aro turning the poor boy into a weapon. Maybe then when he saw his grand-daughter for the first time in eight years, she wouldn't be suffering from a burn along her arm and crying tears as he checked her volatile health.

Bella sat upright in a living room chair, motionless. Rarely did she have memories of her former human self, they were continually lost to her every year she lived immortally but one memory did appear to her quite suddenly. She silently was comparing her daughter's reaction of parting from Jacob, the way Edward had once parted from her. She knew the dark place her daughter was in right now and she could relate. It had been a horrible time for her.

Edward on the other hand was falling apart. He felt like a monster. He was selfish. Nessie had been happy before now, and her suicidal thoughts were driving him insane. Carlisle's guilt and his wife's memories did nothing to stem Edward's break from sanity. Then suddenly, a cool blanket seemed to wrap around him and everything was quiet. Although being a mind-reader for so long made him uncomfortable with silence, it was much more bearable than the thoughts that had been hovering around him.

Edward gave a thankful glance towards his wife and joined her at her side.

"We need to find a way to wean her from Jacob-"

"We need Master's approval to allow Nessie to see Jacob-"

Both parent responded at the same time, but in obvious disagreement. The rest of the Cullens in the room did not respond, after all Nessie was ultimately their daughter. Bella turned to Edward fiercely, "It was wrong to separate them."

"No, it was wrong to leave them together for so long," Edward disagreed. "This is all because of that stupid imprint."

"I may not be able to read minds, but even I can see that our daughter is in love with him."

Edward cringed under that word. His daughter couldn't be "in love" with a dog. It had to be the imprint. For the fact of the matter is, Edward was jealous. He had in fact spent a lot of time within his daughter's mind, and in many aspects it was hard to see where she was his daughter at all. Edward couldn't help having the pulsing jealously of a father who never had the chance for his daughter's love.

"We should talk with Master," Bella suggested, even though she knew it was unlikely he would grant her request. The Volturi's hands were too tied dealing with Romanians and high alerts to worry about the troubles of her daughter.

Both Edward and Bella put forth their best efforts into finding a solution.

Sometimes, best efforts weren't enough.

* * *

Jacob patrolled the boundaries of the Volturi's territory mechanically. All night, he did this, simply running circle, looking for danger he didn't care to find. Sometimes he could smell the sickly scents of the sentries but knew they were Volturi because they smelled like the earthen tunnels crafted beneath his feet.

Slowly the first light of sun was creeping upon the horizon, and Jacob steered towards the forest where a bed waited for him. The soft sound of waking animals greeted him as he entered the forest and reunited with the reassuring smell of wood and earth. He phased, stepped into the house, slammed shut his bedroom door and collapsed onto the bed.

Then he would walk up and run again, sleep, run, sleep, run – an inevitable cycle.

Cerinthus huffed as the door was slammed in his face, and he wasn't even sure if Jacob saw him at all. He wondered if humans simply didn't have the sensory abilities that vampires were gifted with or if Jacob was simply ignoring him. He hated being ignored.

Cerinthus made a flurry of curses in Italian before he came to a decision. After just a day, he was tired of doing this the "normal" way.

"Jacob!" Cerinthus demanded like a child, "Come out here and play with me!"

Jacob couldn't describe the sudden wave of happiness that washed over him. He couldn't remember why he was even sad in the first place. He jumped from the bed, his stomach more demanding than the child and went straight to the kitchen. To his delight, the kitchen was stuffed with food and Jacob casually made himself a sandwich.

Cerinthus watched the sandwich making process with analytical eyes, as if studying the assembly of a science project.

"Do you want one?" Jacob asked as he began on a second sandwich.

Cerinthus scrunched his nose in disgust, "No. I already ate."

Jacob shrugged as he placed both sandwiches in his mouth and Cerinthus' eyes widened in awe. He didn't know so much stuff could fit in there.

Jacob patted his stomach, "That hit the spot, now, what is there to do around here?"

"Absolutely nothing," Cerinthus grumbled, he's been alive long enough to know that. Sometimes he felt as much a captive as Jacob was. He was not allowed to leave the boundaries, not allowed to do anything.

Jacob's eyes scanned the house and then froze on the Xbox by the T.V. "Awesome," Jacob hooted and he leapt across the room and landed on the couch. He remembered owning an older version when he was much younger, in what seemed to him to be another life. The sadness at the loss of a previous time washed away quickly and left Jacob blinded with excitement. He randomly began to press buttons, hoping the machine would come to life.

Cerinthus had seen the box when he first came here, but had not a clue what it was. He watched curiously as Jacob finally figured it out and the T.V screen changed to finally reveal a game declaring loudly, "Street fighter."

Jacob tossed the kid a controller and the boy awkwardly gripped it.

"Don't you know how to play?" Jacob asked in disbelief. Jacob had the automatic assumption that all kids knew more about electronics than he did.

"I've never played before." Cerinthus said as he buckled down and tried to memorize the button sequences in the process of losing a battle against a bald guy who could somehow stretch out his limbs. Then there was a green monster, and a girl who could kick her legs way faster than possible. It was a game of the supernatural and Cerinthus couldn't help but to wonder if all the characters were vampires with gifts.

Jacob beat him five times so far, "You're right, you suck. What the hell do you do all day?" Jacob asked as he destroyed the little imp without even trying.

"Study," Cerinthus grumbled, "stupid human history and stupid human politics."

"What for?" Jacob sat on the floor, debating if he should put in Mario or Halo.

"Dad wants me to become the next Mussolini or Hitler. He says it'll be beneficial to have vampiric interests high in human politics."

Jacob stopped and stared. He didn't know much about history but he knew who Mussolini and Hitler were. "Do you even know who they are?"

"Of course, Uncle Marcus thinks they were revolutionary men and dad says they had wonderful creativity and imagination. They controlled and killed humans they did not favor." Cerinthus shrugged, "We kill humans too, it's much of the same."

Jacob couldn't help the chill that swept through his body as the boy compared a vampire to a Hitler. It was frightening.

Jacob suddenly didn't want to play anymore. He wanted to hate the boy, but there was a wall blocking his mental capacity to get to that emotion.

"What game are we going to play next?" Cerinthus chirped. He had long resolved himself to the future his father had set out for him. In many ways, he too was nothing more than a weapon. Out of the four other children his father had sired, he didn't decide to keep Cerinthus for just any reason.

Jacob put in Halo.

Cerinthus was completely fascinated with it. He became enchanted by the struggles of Master Chief and the possibility of a futuristic world. The only thought running through the quickly growing fourteen year old boy was, 'This is so cool!'

Then, Cerinthus faltered on the controllers, feeling a sudden chill pass over him. Sweat began to bead down his face, trying to concentrate before he lost it. He was shaking so hard. He wanted to hold it just a little while longer. He didn't want this to end.

But unfortunately, nothing lasts forever.

Jacob looked at the boy alarmed, he was growing too pale for vampire standards – and then like a knife a mental wall came crashing down. Jacob jerked suddenly by the intensity of grief and pain that hit him. He was blinded by the tortured emotions.

Nessie.

How could he have forgotten about her?

The higher you are, the harder you fall – and Jacob fell hard, crippling his heart on the landing. He trembled and shook and he writhed on the floor sobbing. He hated himself, with an intensity of the sun. It burned his being, his desire to want to live.

Nessie.

* * *

"Yesterday, they called me to check on Jacob because he missed some patrols," Carlisle whispered to the family, aware of his granddaughter sleeping in the other room.

"Is he alright?" Bella asked hopefully.

"He's worse."Carlisle whispered frightfully, "In a near coma."

For once Alice wished she could see their future, and then everything wouldn't be so stressful or unnerving.

Carlisle looked around at his family, only Edward, Bella, and Alice. Jasper had Volturi business to take care of so he wasn't present for the urgent meeting. "The worst part is Aro reconsidering Jacob's usefulness. He's debating whether or not he should have him killed and be done with it." Carlisle whispered regretfully.

"We have to do something before it's too late," Bella decided.

"It might already be too late," Edward groaned, "There are reports that the Romanians have begun to move. Master is going to need us soon, we won't have any time to help her."

"But what if-"

They brainstormed possibilities and solutions, no one quite having the answer.

Nessie woke up slowly, her mind barely registering hushed whispers from the other room. She didn't care. She didn't feel. Her body was numb as she shivered underneath the covers. She didn't want to move. She didn't want to know how long she lay there – perhaps days. Sometimes she could feel a presence entering her room but she only ignored them. She just wanted to be left alone, couldn't they see that?

Her mind was deadened, when a scent drifted to her noise that quite literally shocked the life into her heart. She sat up suddenly and whispered, "Jacob."

Her eyes turned toward the slight sound at her window. Could it be?

"Jacob?" Nessie called. It had to be. That was his scent. But she couldn't understand why he was running away. Without hesitation or thought, Renesmee flung herself through the open window and tracked the scent through the streets of Volterra. Her bare feet slapped upon the cobblestone and took to the rooftops when needed. Her nightgown sprayed around her as she ran wildly, determined not to lose him. The only thing her half-crazed mind was certain sure of, was the fact she couldn't lose that scent. She had to find him.

She followed the scent out into an open field, where she spotted a dark figure running away from her. "Jacob!" She cried. "Don't run from me."

She knew at once she had been mistaken when she heard a sharp exhale of Italian. The figure stopped and turned to her angrily, and Nessie couldn't remember if she had ever seen this kid in her life. His deep eyes tinged with speckles of red, narrowed upon her. Why did he smell like Jacob?

"Where is Jacob?" Nessie demanded.

The boy who didn't look any older than fourteen stood in her way of finding Jacob. Nessie could feel that Jacob was somewhere close. He had to be.

"I don't know," the stranger replied.

Nessie tried to move around him, but he wouldn't let her as he intercepted her movements.

"Where is Jacob?" She seethed angrily.

"I said I don't k-"

Nessie couldn't bear to hear that lie again. She jumped in a frenzied and wild attack. Just as she reached pinnacle height through the air, she fell down and her body erupted in pain. Hot blinding pain as she writhed on the ground and screamed.

Then it stopped and as quickly as it came as she felt a sudden soft comfort blanket around her. "It's okay, baby. I won't let him hurt you." The soft words of her mother whispered into her ear as she was cradled into her mother's lap. Nessie opened her eyes, and was silently relieved that her mother's arms were around her.

She turned to the sound of fighting and the brutal beating Edward was giving the boy. The scene scared her, and frightened her all the more that she had been so close to that brutality herself. She had wanted to cause the boy pain and that instant in tuned with her vampiric side, completely frightened her.

"He's just a child," Nessie whispered, trying to regain some sense of humanity.

"He'll heal," Edward said angrily and he tried to read the boy's intentions. But Cerinthus was too blinded by pain to reveal anything.

"We should hurry, we aren't allowed to be here." Bella stressed as she easily picked her daughter up in her arms. Edward reluctantly left the boy alone to attend to his most important duty, his daughter.

Cerinthus could barely breathe as he watched blood leak out of him – the same color blood he stole from his meals. Father and mother didn't bleed. It reminded him bitterly that he was only half immortal.

He had good intentions.

He had felt like Jacob's current fail in health had been his fault. He wanted to fix things, he wanted to have fun and play games again. So when Jacob kept muttering how much Nessie needed him, and how much she was hurt, Cerinthus decided to leave Volturi land and see for himself. He was hoping to come back and tell Jacob that he had nothing to worry about and that Nessie was okay, indeed he found her simply in her bed with no immediate danger close by.

Then she smelled him, and Cerinthus was forced to run for his life. But he couldn't shake her. It was as if she had turned into some crazed animal. He evidently didn't have as much stamina as her and was forced to stop. But Cerinthus jealously didn't want Nessie with Jacob either. It was her fault Jacob was like that in the first place.

Cerinthus' thoughts faltered as he groaned in pain, and knew this wasn't even the worst of it. He dreaded what his father's punishment would be for disobedience.

"What did he do to me?" Renesmee asked as she remembered the pain.

"He's worse than Jane." Edward explained bitterly, "Where Jane had the ability to inflict an illusion of pain, he has the ability to implant an illusion of any emotion."

Renesmee Cullen couldn't keep her eyes from the crumbled form that lay on the field behind her as he mother carried her away, because her intuition told her Jacob lay just beyond. So close, and yet so far away. She saw him as her opponent, an obstacle she was going to overcome. She reveled in the comforting blanket of her mother's shield as plans and schemes ran through her head. She may have been Bella's daughter but she was Jacob's girl. She knew how to fight for what she wanted.

The plan for operation 'Find Jacob' began to form.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Hope you enjoyed, and feel free to review. **

**Because of the language and content of what I have in mind for the next few scenes, I've decided to raise the rating. Probably should have done it a long time ago though, it is a little darker than the usual twilight eccentric fics. **

**Now that Renesmee has been knocked from her depressed stupor, what will she do next? **


	9. Chapter 9: Parents

I do not own Twilight.

Chapter 9: Parents

"I don't care," Renesmee sighed as she modeled yet another dress handpicked by her Aunt Alice.

Bella hated shopping trips but she loved spending time with her daughter. Everyone in the family had been highly surprised when Renesmee announced that she wanted to go to school. Alice of course took this as an excuse to go shopping in her favorite area of Florence, Ponte Vecchio.

At the time, Nessie thought shopping was a good idea. She needed space away from her mind-reading father who she had the gut-feeling was trying to probe her mind to find the reason why she finally decided to go to school. Her decision had shocked them all after days of depression, and Nessie was forced to put on smiles and sing nursery rhymes constantly in her head so no one would discover her ulterior motives. The only problem was Nessie never thought a shopping trip could be so taxing. She wanted a simple hoodie and sneakers. Evidently, according to Alice, no one wore those things in Italy.

"Try this instead," Alice chirped happily and shoved the set of clothes into Nessie's arms.

"Maybe that's enough," Bella suggested watching the pained expression on Nessie's face as she stared at the amount of clothing she was given. Alice snapped around and gave Bella The Glare.

"Maybe we should get you some clothes Bella," Alice threatened.

Bella simply shook her head and promised to say no more.

"Now put that on and I'll go look for more," Alice flitted to the other side of the store, a pair of Chanel handbags catching her always wandering attention.

Nessie looked at the clothes in disgust then stared down at her mother nervously and knew she needed to get this conversation out of the way. "Moth… Bella," Nessie began, simply unable to say it.

Bella gave a weak smile. She knew it was going to take time, and she was a vampire, and she had all the time in the world. Still, doesn't mean it didn't hurt.

"Anything," Bella said eagerly. While the little demon pixie was occupied with designer labels, Renesmee sat down with all of the clothes and tucked them into her lap.

"I was wondering," Nessie said timidly. She was determined to play this just right. "I'm not used to people knowing everything that I'm thinking." She bowed her head nervously. "It's strange and frightening and I was hoping whenever- Edward – is around, you could shield me? I know it's a lot to ask but-"

Bella placed her cold hand on her daughter's lap. "I completely understand. It's unfair not to grant you any privacy. I'll talk with Edward but I'm sure it won't be a problem. I want you to feel comfortable with us."

Renesmee smiled widely, "Thank you so much. I can't wait to go to school. Alice says the University of Florence if beautiful."

"It really is," Bella brightened, "I've been through once before with a major in Literature, but perhaps this time I'll do something different."

Renesmee smile completely dropped. "You're taking classes to?" She asked weakly.

Bella eyes widened in alarm and stumbled over her words, "Your father and I thought we could enroll with you so you're not alone."

Nessie shuffled uncomfortably. "I'm a young adult, a fully matured half-vampire. I can take care of myself. It's so hard because it feels like you're smothering me."

Bella didn't want that at all. She did not want to insult her daughter's intelligence or capabilities. "Maybe I can talk to Edward…"

Bella couldn't see it, but there was a satisfied smirk on Nessie's face.

Alice pulled away from the Chanel bag with a gasp, and that was quite a feat. Bella recently made a decision and the weight of it forced a vision to flash before Alice's eyes. It was about Renesmee, and those two pathways where her niece stood at a crossroad in life, suddenly converged to one. Renesmee's future had become deep and unknown, no longer foreseeable.

* * *

Renesmee savored the cookie and cakes she ate for breakfast and wondered why America didn't do this sort of thing. She watched with bored eyes as Aunt Alice obsessively prepared the complicated outfit for her first day of school. Both of her parents lounged on the couch and both seemed nervous, as if this was her first day of kindergarten.

Edward looked at his daughter enjoying human food for once, she seemed happier. After all, Edward knew Renesmee would eventually get over Jacob. All it took was time. Now he just wished he could see her thoughts. He wanted to know whether she was excited or nervous so he could react accordingly but Bella was adamantly blocking him. He hated the new arrangement but had to admittedly agree he might have been over-stepping privacy boundaries. Bella shifted happily in his arms and was happy as long as their daughter was happy.

Edward wasn't happy.

He wanted to be there on her first day, he wanted to be in her classes and monitoring her classmates. He didn't want to control her life as Bella argued, he just wanted to be there. He didn't want to miss out on anything else in his little girl's life.

But unfortunately, Renesmee didn't want them and that hurt his feelings. Bella was ready to comply with Renesmee's wishes but even though Edward had reluctantly promised not to attend the University, he was determined to check on her every single hour.

Not to mention, there were other precautions he took to keep her safe.

The doorbell rang.

Renesmee looked up from her food surprised as her father opened the door.

The visitor walked in cheerfully, with midnight hair and a skin tone of pale olive. His eyes scanned the room until they fell on her. "Hey Nessie, remember me?" The boyish voice smiled, "Probably not, it's been a long time. I'm Benjamin and we'll be going to school together."

Nessie's eyes shifted toward her over protective father. Stupid vamps.

Nevertheless, Renesmee put on her best smile. "I remember of course," thanks to her sharp vampiric memory. "How is your wife, Tia?"

"She's wonderful. Since she's not involved in the Volturi business thankfully, she's taken up being an author nowadays."

"That's excellent," Nessie responded cheerfully and didn't miss the hopeful smiles her parents gave each other. They were hoping Benjamin could be a friend to her since he was much closer in age in spirit than the rest of them.

"Hurry up and put on your clothes on so you won't be late," Alice demanded.

"But we still have plenty of time," Nessie complained but knew well enough not to cross her Aunt Alice when it came to clothes. Nessi dressed quickly and found that the time she thought she had was spent on Alice taking vigorous pictures of her.

" You're so adorable!" Alice squealed as she snapped photo after photo.

Renesmee highly preferred her favorite t-shirt, holes, stains, and all.

After the nightmarish impromptu photo shoot, Nessie was escorted outside where a sleek glossed probably fast car waited. Vampires and their cars. Nessie didn't have the slightest clue what model or type of car it was but she was sure Jacob would have loved it. The thought of him not only sent a twinge of pain but also determination through her heart.

She heaved her backpack and jumped into the passenger's side of the seat. Benjamin quickly joined her in the car and they were on the road in an instant. The sun was just beginning to descend, creating a warm hue all around her. The streets of Italy were truly marvelous.

"Excited?" Benjamin asked, his hair sweeping out of his face from the wind.

"Yeah, I've never been to school before," Nessie admitted, "but I'm up for the challenge."

"You pick the right place to start. College is much more interesting than high school. I'm a sophomore now and majoring in History with a specialization on Africa. History for a vampire is so ironic," he laughed carelessly.

"I don't know what I'm doing," Renesmee admitted.

"Schools here are different from America. Here you come in knowing what you want to do," Benjamin explained, "So your father already enrolled you into one."

Renesmee sighed – more of her father controlling her life.

Benjamin chuckled at her expression.

"You're under the Faculty of Art," He mused, one hand on the steering wheel. "Edward says you're more inclined toward something artistic, that's the way your head thinks."

Nessie's eyes widened.

Art.

No matter how much she wanted to hate her father's prying, she had to admit she liked the idea. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

"Tia thinks going to school to learn art is rather distasteful, she says it's something you have to discover on your own," Benjamin winked.

"If you don't mind me asking," Nessie began curiously and hoped not to offend him, "but your mate has no talents the Volturi can use, how come she was spared?"

Benjamin took the question head on, just as cheerful as he had been before, "Good behavior." He laughed. "If I'm a good boy, she's safe. We've been doing alright these past few years."

Nessie nodded trying to seem half-interested when in reality she was trying to acquire any information on the inner-workings of the Volturi.

"Are you the only Volturi member at the University?" Nessi asked and was surprised when Benjamin shook his head. This might complicate her plans.

"Since most Volturi members aren't vegetarian they have a difficult time integrating into human society. There are only very few and most of them are grad students who hold minor positions within the Volturi." He smiled, "But there's Eleazer who is a studying law and Carmen is a Spanish professor."

She straightened at those two names she recognized, and for the first time noticed Benjamin's eyes. His light-hearted character suddenly turned flawed when she stared intently at the color red hidden behind sunglasses. "You aren't vegetarian," She murmured.

"I'm on a mixed diet," Benjamin shrugged. "Habits die as hard as vampires do. But I find I like humans… other than eating them of course. I have some human friends!" He laughed as if it was hilarious to him, "and it's fun."

Renesmee couldn't claim the same. She had never made any human friends – she never liked the idea of befriending someone and then leaving them behind without another word because of the rogue life she lived. All she ever truly had was Jacob.

Friends.

The word was appealing.

"We're here, this is your building. Mine is just a few streets down. We'll meet up for dinner, there are a lot of nice places around here."

Renesmee nodded, her eyes scanning the mass of people coming to and fro. Her ears quickly adjusted to the Italian language and she was glad her vampire genes picked up on it so quickly even though she still didn't understand too clearly when it was spoken too fast.

Nessie gradually pulled out the map her father had tucked into her backpack and navigated through the throng of people. She watched curiously their mannerisms and characteristics and wondered how she would ever fit in. Maybe this was larger than she thought it would be.

Her first class was a drawing class and stumbled into it rather late because even though she understood Italian rather well, she still had problems reading it.

All eyes were on her as she entered the class embarrassed with head bowed. She quickly shuffled her feet to the top of the class just as the professor began going over the course topic.

"Don't worry, you weren't the only one."

Renesmee jumped as the person she had sat beside leaned over and spoke to her – in English.

"You speak English?" Nessie asked in a whisper. Her classmate was a rather caramel skinned young man who had a fiery smile. His hair was deep black and had thoughtful blue eyes.

"Better than I do Italian," He smirked. "I'm an exchange student from America, I figured you were to. You just had that," He cocked his head thoughtfully, "vibe about you."

Nessie flushed, but for all the wrong reasons. The smell of blood was never so strong as it was now. She felt a little suffocating in this room, but she played it off with practiced effort. "Oh."

"Got a boyfriend?"

This time Nessie the blush was for the right reasons. "I-" how did she answer that question? "It's complicated."

He nodded, "Fair enough." He shrugged, "Just a question I tend to ask pretty girls I meet. It's David by the way."

Nessie was not sure if she had ever met anyone as forward as him. "It's Vanes-erm, Renesmee."

"That's different. How do you say that? Rinesmi? Something?"

Nessie smiled to see him struggle with the name. "Just call me Nessie."

"Nessie. Got it." He smirked lazily, and both inattentive students had to suddenly turn around as the professor began to write on the board. They both began taking notes, and there was no room to get in anymore conversation as the teacher went at a speed as if everyone in the room had been speaking Italian all of their lives.

By the time the professor was finished class was done.

"I think I missed some stuff in my notes," David grumbled. Nessie flinched as he leaned over to look at her paper. "I can't wait till we actually start drawing stuff," he replied as he quickly filled in the gaps in his notes from Nessie's paper.

"So you like art?" Nessie asked shyly.

"Yep, I'm studying architect." They were one of the last ones who left the room. "What classes do you have?"

Renesmee showed him her schedule.

"What do you know? We have another class together." David smiled. "Guess I'll see you later. Ciao, Nessie." Then he paused. "Hey, it's like the Loch Ness Monster!" He laughed.

Nessie was mortified. What a horrible way to manipulate her name.

"At least it isn't Godzilla or King Kong," David laughed, and Nessie could still hear him as he disappeared down the hall. All in all, he seemed nice. First human befriended!

Nessie walked with much more confidence to her next class but unfortunately her luck didn't continue. She found it hard to communicate with the Italian students, not only was she from America but she was an anti-social half-vampire that could hardly find anything in common with the other students she came into contact with. She loved her classes, she just felt lonely in them.

Until David reappeared and it seemed they made each other's day. He was an outcast just as much as she was. He was friendlier but tended to do all the wrong things as he stood farther away than was natural in a conversation. Became a little too distracted by all of the hand movements. And unlike Nessie whose outfit was very updated with her peers, David seemed to be wearing the wrong sort of clothes. It seemed for both of them, they were far away from home.

Nessie was relieved when she was finally done with her classes and realized in horror that she had forgotten all about formulating a plan to get to Jacob from school. She had been too busy with college life. The moment she stepped from out the doors, Benjamin pulled up waiting with a smile.

Nessie figured she would keep going to school for a while because she had a nagging feeling that she had been watched all day. Once her parents' trust was earned she'll skip out on school and search for Jacob.

"How was it?"

"A lot," Nessie replied as she hopped into the car and pulled her backpack already loaded with homework into her lap. "But I like it."

"That's wonderful, I'm sure you're parents will be excited."

"I'm sure." Nessie mumbled as she stared out of the window and for the first time realized how many details she noticed. She saw the shadows leaning on the rustic Italian buildings, noticed the lines objects tended to created and the sparkling reflection of the moonlight on water. The world was art.

"Benjamin, what do you know about the other half-vampire? You know, Aro's son?" Renesmee asked slyly.

"Not much actually. Master's real defensive of the boy but I heard he got into trouble lately."

"Oh, just wondering since he's the only one I've met like me and all." Renesmee responded, learning very little information about her opponent.

"Scheduling a play-date is probably a slim chance if that's what you were after," Benjamin chuckled. "Master doesn't allow the boy to leave Volturi territory."

'_Really?' _Nessie thought as she wondered why he had appeared at her window.

When Nessie entered the house, she found her parents waiting in anticipation. So impatient, that her mother had pulled her into a cold hug once she walked through the door. "Are you okay? How was it? I hope it wasn't too hard."

Nessie pulled away from her mother gently. "I'm fine."

"Did you meet any friends?" Bella asked excitedly as she forced herself to sit on the couch, her full attention captured by her daughter.

"One," Nessie said slowly as she dropped her backpack to the floor. She took her homework out quite eagerly. She's never had homework before.

"Really? What's her name?" Bella asked.

"David Kwoli Williams," Edward said bitterly. "He's studying architecture and he's a foreign exchange student from America. He attends University of Southern California, a junior. Twenty years old." Edward listed off the facts. Bella glared angrily at him.

Nessie stared at him horrified. "Are you going to do a background check on everyone I meet?" She asked angrily.

"Yes," Edward said simply, especially if he was not allowed to read his daughter's thoughts.

"I hate you!" Nessie's scream was filled with frustration. She threw her backpack over her shoulder and stormed into her room, slamming the door behind her.

"Edward, I can't believe you." Bella shook her head.

"You should have seen the thoughts going through his head." Edward growled.

"He's a twenty year old college student. I'm sure I can guess. This is a little too far. This is not the way we're going to gain her trust."

"But I'm her father. I'm here to protect her."

"Edward," Bella whispered softly. "I know you haven't realized it yet, but she's past the stage of needing us to meddle into every detail of her life. She's a young woman now."

But for Edward, it was hard to accept that, "I just want her to need me."

All he could do was put his head in his hands, and wish he could cry.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry I missed an update last week, midterms suck. Just as much as vampires suck - lol. Excuse my bad humor. **

**But since I did miss, I give you my longest chapter written yet! An accomplishment I'd say. Now, I have never been to Italy so if you've been there, lived there, etc please point out any or all of my blaring errors. It's so hard to research Italian customs and school life when you don't know Italian. **

**Next Week: Hints that things are heating up on both sides of the Romanian/Volturi prewar which might give Nessie the opportunity she needs ;)**

**Hope you enjoyed and feel free to review. **


	10. Chapter 10: Crossing Borders

I do not own Twilight

Chapter 10: Crossing Borders

"What's wrong with him?" Aro asked, as he sat at a grand oak table shifting through reports and notes to be later filed by Heidi the secretary. One thing that Aro was good at was keeping the Volturi organized and running smoothly.

Carlisle looked disapprovingly into his patient's mouth, who swiped a tongue over the missing incisors. "What were you thinking?"

Pulling out a vampire's fangs was common punishment among the Volturi but not meant for a growing child.

"The punishment was well deserved," Sulpicia said warmly, lounging on an antique couch as she flipped through a book. "Bad children deserve punishment."

Carlisle shook his head as he pondered the problem of having two vampire parents who did not even remember their own mortality, much less their human childhood.

Cerinthus felt faint and weak and wanted nothing more to satisfy the burning in his throat.

"I didn't ask for your opinion dear friend although I know you love to give it. I wanted to know why he fainted today in his lessons." Aro replied unnaturally hard for his jovial nature. It made Carlisle want to conduct a study on the impact of having actual legitimate children and the effect on vampire parents. Aro was much less airy and Sulpicia much less cold when it came to their son.

"It's exactly what I've been warning you about since his infancy. He's not taking to human food because his digestive system is used to consuming blood. I told you to keep him on a mixed diet. The boy is starving."

"Curse his human blood," Sulpicia said distastefully. Although it was that same human blood that gave her son the opportunity to exist. It was Sulpicia who had convinced Aro to give her a child to occupy her time, no matter how much Aro claimed to everyone else it was just a mere "experiment."

"Try soups, it will be easier for him to digest." Carlisle suggested, "At this rate it will be at least a couple of months until his fangs grow back in."

Cerinthus groaned desperately and that ragged cry summoned his mother to his side. "It's just a few months dear. I know you're strong enough to handle your punishment."

Cerinthus nodded obediently.

The mother comforted her son, and Carlisle he knew better than any that the art of being a parent could not be taught, only experienced. His children had all counted on him to protect them, and he failed them all miserably. Instead of thinking about the ache in his heart, he turned toward Aro, "Have you decided what you want to do with Jacob yet?"

Carlisle knew Aro had only so much patience. From Carlisle's point of view it did not seem like Jacob would be recovering soon. Jacob was getting worse by the day and it would take a miracle to save him.

"The dog? He's useless. I was going to throw him out. A shame too, I had such high hopes."

"But you can't-" Cerinthus began to whine but quieted by the glare of his mother.

"May I make a suggestion?" Carlisle asked carefully. Despite all of Edward's protests, Carlisle thought it healthier if Jacob got to spend some time with Nessie. Edward was the mind-reader, and he was the only one blind to how much they needed each other.

"Not now Carlisle. I already have too much to plan. Demetri has confirmed Amun has joined the Romanian forces."

Carlisle thought this would happen. "He wants Benjamin."

Aro knew that all too well, and as long as he had Chelsea he didn't need to worry about shifting loyalties.

Suddenly three vibrations sounded throughout the room. All three technologically challenged vampires clumsily took out their phones and read the incoming text message:

'Romanians at the border in a few hours – A.'

*break*

"I'm going to have to study all night for this test," David groaned.

Thanks to half-vampire analytical abilities, Nessie wouldn't have to. "Seems easy," Nessie said with a smile as they walked from their last class of the day.

"Everything is easy for you, Loch Ness," David huffed and always resorted to that nickname whenever he wanted to irritate her.

"Not funny," Nessie rolled her eyes. She had become quite comfortable with David over the past few weeks. She's even managed to make a few other human friends, but David was the first and the closest to her.

"What do you know? You're boyfriend isn't here today."

Nessie looked toward the street in alarm. Benjamin was always here to pick her up, so faithfully David had began calling Benjamin her boyfriend. Benjamin was missing today, instead Tia was sitting poised in the car.

"That's his wife." Nessie explained, somewhat concerned but she didn't want to let the worry leak into her voice. Tia never leaves her house.

"His wife?" David questioned. "You did say it was complicated."

"He's not my boyfriend," Nessie repeated once again.

"Sure. See you tomorrow."

"You too," Nessie said her goodbyes as he walked away. David lived close enough to the university to walk home. Sometimes she could convince Benjamin to give David a ride home when the workload and the books were extremely heavy. David and Benjamin got along well. According to Benjamin, he loves to try out his human socializing skills.

"Hello, Tia." Nessie greeted as she sat in the car, "Where is Benjamin today?"

Tia was always timid and soft-spoken, but Nessie liked her because she was so sweet. "Volturi business," She said distastefully.

Nessie knew the feeling exactly. She was damn tired of the Volturi always taking away the ones she loved.

Tia didn't drive as fast as other vampires, but instead strolled along at a leisurely pace and the two women enjoyed the sights of Florence as they road towards Volterra. There was a full moon tonight but the darkness was thicker than usual. The wind was a mare whisper. When they finally arrived to the house, everything was silent as well.

"Where are Bella and Edward?" Nessie asked as she stepped out of the car.

"Volturi business," Tia repeated, "I really want to get home, are you going to be okay here all by yourself?"

"No problem," Nessie answered comfortably, familiar with the silence of an empty house.

Tia drove off and left Nessie to wander into a dark home. She quickly turned the lights on and found a book, Wuthering Heights lying absently on the couch. There were a few ingredients set out onto the counter but no food. It seemed everything had been left half finished and it clenched her stomach in dread. She instantly went to the kitchen and pulled out a pastry to eat.

She took one bite, two – then a sudden realization came to her.

She was utterly alone. There was no one watching her every move, no one to spy on her every thought. Who knew how long it will take her parents to get back? Her heart beat quickened and she grew anxious with excitement. There was only one thought on her mind.

Jacob.

In an instant she was flying on the rooftops of Volterra, following the mental map inscribed in her head when she chased the half-vampire. Her feet felt weightless as she raced through the dark night. Wind swept her hair and her heart ached all the more as she thought how long it has been. Three weeks without him, and through all that time, behind her misleading smiles was a woman filled with grief.

Nessie huffed as she recognized the same field from that night long ago. Unlike before when Jacob's scent had been detectable, it was completely gone. There was nothing. Not a trace or clue.

It broke her that she had come so close, and yet so far away. Her breath became ragged, panicking and at a complete loss. Until the wind shifted, and a familiar scent hit her. It wasn't Jacob. It was that boy.

Nessie mindlessly followed it, and as she trailed it into the woods the scent of another was gradually entwined in it. More determined, she moved faster and the intoxicating smell of wood and earth led her to stop in front of a cabin huddled in a cradle of surrounding trees. A few patches of grass seemed to be crushed, as if a large animal had roamed over it.

Her legs began to shake as she ascended the wooden steps. She didn't know what she would find, but the only thing she was sure of was the deep and strong heartbeat hidden inside. She arrived at the door and was suddenly scared. What if Jacob didn't want her anymore? What if he hadn't missed her like she did him? What if?

Her paralysis held her frozen for a few minutes until she awkwardly knocked on the door. Instead of someone coming to answer, the door swung open easily, unlocked.

The first thing that touched Nessie was the smell. There was a sourness coming from inside of the house, like the smell of decay. She stepped in carefully and she was immediately unable to comprehend what she saw. There were clothes messily draped and scattered around the couch much too small to belong to Jacob, a broken and crushed game system, the kitchen was smeared in ash which seemed the recent victim of a fire. Random cereal boxes and stale food littered the table. It was a maid's nightmare, and only led to Nessie's growing apprehension as she followed the steady heartbeat.

She opened a bedroom door.

Bronze skin stretched across a bed, completely comatose to the world around him. The room smelled like pee, shit, and rot. Nessie knew it was bad.

She ran to his side and before, she had disillusioned herself that she could breathe but the moment she looked at him, she took a long and natural breath she hadn't had in a long time. Her hand slid across his sickly face and her tears dropped onto his cheeks. She promised she would never leave him again.

"Jacob," she called out.

He answered. Her voice was like an alarm clock as he responded timidly with, "Nessie."

"Yes Jacob, I'm here," but her voice was always interrupted with a fit of tears.

"Nessie?"

"It's really me." Nessie assured him and filled with emotion, placed her lips on his. She didn't care if his breath was stale or how cracked were his lips, it felt like coming home.

The sound and touch of her awakened Jacob from his stupor like nothing else could. Like a shock of cold water, he could suddenly feel again and with his decayed strength pulled her to him. They stayed locked together, lips simply touching each other and enjoying the warmth.

When Nessie finally pulled away Jacob's eyes were opened.

"Hello, sleeping beauty," Nessie smiled.

"My, isn't my prince charming." Jacob breathed warmly and then tried to pull her close to him, but she wouldn't budge.

"Shower. Now. Jacob." Nessie demanded.

Jacob groaned and his entire body felt wasted. His limbs were sore and out of use. With a lot of embarrassment he realized he was lying in his own filth. He didn't want Nessie to see him like this.

"I'll help you," Nessie offered but Jacob wouldn't hear any of it.

"Wait outside," Jacob almost begged of her. He simply refused to be so pathetic. He was supposed to be her protector, not the protected. When had things gotten so turned around?

Nessie reluctantly left him and only because Nessie was waiting outside, Jacob forced himself from the bed. It was painful and he had to grip the wall to stand. His entire body felt useless and only gradually did he feel his healing ability helping at all. He managed to grab some clothes and drag himself to the shower. The water shot on scalding hot but Jacob was too tired to change it and the water beat against his skin. He gasped as he leaned against the back of the shower and he suddenly slipped.

Nessie came rushing in at the sound of a loud crash. Jacob blindly slumped his head against the tile wall, an ache beginning to pound into his skull. Burning water crashed into his face until Nessie turned it off.

"I can do it." Jacob coughed, fallen completely naked to the ground.

It was the first time Nessie had seen him naked before and she tried very very hard to concentrate on his health than on him physically. She tried to help him up but he resisted.

"Let me help you, Jacob." Nessie begged of him.

"No," he wheezed raggedly, his pride more pained than his body.

Jacob couldn't. He wasn't supposed to be helpless. He was supposed to be strong and powerful. Protecting was the only thing he was good at but as he looked into Nessie's eyes he could see he had failed. Just like he had failed his pack: Embry, Quil, Leah, and Seth. Like he had failed Edward and Bella in raising their daughter. Like he had failed Nessie a thousand times before.

His heart more pained than his pride.

The large shape-shifter crumpled against the half-vampire in defeat. He shook, and the tears came, and Nessie held him as they sat against the wet floor of the shower.

*break*

"Thanks," Jacob replied shamefully as he finished the bowl of soup Nessie made. The sheets had been switched and cleaned. The room had been disinfected and organized. Jacob had been shaved and washed. Now that he had some food in him, he felt himself growing stronger by the minute.

Nessie lay against the foot of the bed and watched him eat with a healthy appetite. She loved the returning color in his face and the strengthening of his voice. She scooped up the empty bowl and went to deliver it to the kitchen. She stopped when she realized she was being watched and turned just as Jacob diverted his eyes.

"Are you checking me out Jacob Black?" Nessie asked and was suddenly surprised by her own forwardness. She blamed it on being around David too long, that or maybe she's just been too long away from Jacob.

Jacob was surprised by her as well, along with himself. Before, if he had caught himself looking at Nessie in that way he would have considered it sin. He had raised her from a baby after all. But now after weeks of being apart he simply felt starved and couldn't help himself.

"I'm sorry," He apologized for his rude behavior and felt too disgusted with himself to look at her.

"Jacob," she called and he always answered. He raised his eyes and met her gaze which held him softly. Nessie had thrown the bowl on the floor and was now sitting at the side of the bed, beside him. She timidly reached out her hand and touched his face. He was smoothed now he was shaved. She slid it down the side of his jaw. She wanted to tell him that he didn't have to apologize for anything but something else entirely fell from her lips.

"I've missed you," Nessie admitted, gliding her thumb over his lips.

There were two hearts racing as they stared at one another. The tension in the room grew stifling. Her hand lifted to comb through his hair.

"I need you." Nessie admitted honestly, filled with so many unspoken emotions.

The imprint couldn't deny her as Jacob slowly leaned forward and their lips met. Nessie pressed into him greedily, desperately trying to close the distance that had kept them apart for so long. Jacob's mind was dominated by the woman he held and how much he just wanted to touch her. Their lips collided in messy and greedy embraces.

Nessie's back fell against the bed as her hands explored the grooves of his arms, and her legs wrapped around him tightly, never wanting to let go.

Jacob explored the insides of her mouth, grasping at each other in heat and an instinct so natural it was hard to believe this was the first time – the first kiss, the first running her fingers through his hair, the first touching the skin underneath her shirt, the first time for a lot of things.

Just like Nessie experienced her exponential growth rate, she surpassed these physical milestones easily. His hands were groping at her breasts. Her hands were caressing his abs. Lips devouring lips. They were trying to consume each other.

She took off his shirt, but it wasn't close enough.

He unclasped her bra, but it wasn't close enough.

Their pants were taken off, but it wasn't close enough.

They were both bare, but it wasn't close enough until-

"Jacob," Nessie gasped and she was no longer a virgin.

They were finally as close as two beings could ever get to each other. The distance that had plagued them was no more. At that moment, they knew that all they would ever need was each other. They felt complete.

They felt at home.

*break*

The tickle of Jacob's nose pulled him from sweet dreams. He woke up gradually and he smiled as he felt Nessie's naked body underneath his arms. Then he frowned.

He shot up in bed as he smelled an unfamiliar and menacing scent.

*break*

**Author's Note: Nessie and Jacob together again! But how long will it last?**

**I've had frustrating problems in uploading this chapter and had to come up with some inventive ways to get around it. My internet connection won't load in time to save the document. It's stupid, anyone know how to fix this? **

**I want to say thank you to all those who have reviewed my story, I really appreciate you. Let's me know that people are actually interested and keeps me motivated to continue writing. Special shot out goes to luv2beloved who has reviewed every chapter thus far. Much love. **

**Hope you enjoyed and feel free to review. **


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